Body image and personality predictors of eating disorder symptoms during the college years

OBJECTIVE: Women entering college (N = 118) were longitudinally followed for 3 years with assessments of eating pathology (Restraint and Bulimia). METHOD: Measures taken at Time 1 included timing of onset of puberty, Figure Dissatisfaction, Ineffectiveness, Public Self-Consciousness, and mood states (Profile of Mood States). Measures were evaluated as predictors of changes in Restraint and Bulimia scores across the three-year period. RESULTS: Both Restraint (r = .69) and Bulimia (r = .50) were quite stable across the 3 years. Mean weight gain of 5.4 pounds (p < .001) was paralleled by an increase in "ideal weight" of 4.7 pounds. Hierarchical regressions controlling for Time 1 levels of eating disorder symptoms revealed that changes in Bulimia (R(2) = .38, p < .0001) were related to the psychological measures and to Figure Dissatisfaction. Changes in Restraint (R(2) = .61, p < .0001) were significantly related to Figure Dissatisfaction. DISCUSSION: Findings are discussed in the context of the value of longitudinal designs in identifying risk factors. Dissatisfaction with one's figure seems to be consistently related to worsening eating pathology.