Objective: To explore the links between social desirability and eating disorders in a sample of adolescents in a north-east area of Italy. Method: A mixed male-female sample of 1000 school-aged adolescents, corresponding to 10% of the young population aged 15-19 years living in the district, were investigated with self-reported questionnaires, including the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT), the Bulimic Investigatory Test of Edinburgh (BITE), the Body Attitudes Questionnaire (BAT), and an Italian version of the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale (MC-SDS). Results: Females scored higher than males at all eating disorder inventories. In both genders there was a negative relationship (in all cases P < 0.01) between scores at the eating disorder inventories and those at the MC-SDS. When analysing eating disorder 'caseness', as measured by cut-off, 'cases' reported significantly lower scores than 'non-cases' at the MC-SDS in both genders. Conclusion: Personality traits measured by the MC-SDS, such as defensiveness, self-esteem, and dependence from approval, might contribute to the development of abnormal eating patterns at risk of eating disorders.

Social desirability and eating disorders. A community study of an Italian school-aged sample

Preti A.
2002-01-01

Abstract

Objective: To explore the links between social desirability and eating disorders in a sample of adolescents in a north-east area of Italy. Method: A mixed male-female sample of 1000 school-aged adolescents, corresponding to 10% of the young population aged 15-19 years living in the district, were investigated with self-reported questionnaires, including the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT), the Bulimic Investigatory Test of Edinburgh (BITE), the Body Attitudes Questionnaire (BAT), and an Italian version of the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale (MC-SDS). Results: Females scored higher than males at all eating disorder inventories. In both genders there was a negative relationship (in all cases P < 0.01) between scores at the eating disorder inventories and those at the MC-SDS. When analysing eating disorder 'caseness', as measured by cut-off, 'cases' reported significantly lower scores than 'non-cases' at the MC-SDS in both genders. Conclusion: Personality traits measured by the MC-SDS, such as defensiveness, self-esteem, and dependence from approval, might contribute to the development of abnormal eating patterns at risk of eating disorders.
2002
105
5
372
377
Adolescence; Anorexia nervosa/psychology; Bulimia/psychology; Eating disorders/epidemiology; Impulsivity; Social desirability
Miotto P.; De Coppi M.; Frezza M.; Rossi M.; Preti A.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2318/1797480
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