Restraint and eating concern in North European and East Asian women with and without eating disorders in Australia and Singapore

Date

2007

Authors

Soh, Nerissa Li-Wey
Touyz, Stephen W
Dobbins, Timothy
Surgenor, Lois J
Clarke, Simon
Kohn, Michael R
Lee, Ee Lian
Leow, Vincent
Rieger, Elizabeth
Ung, Ken Eng Khean

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

SAGE Publications

Abstract

Objective: To investigate eating disorder psychopathology, restraint and eating concern in young women with and without an eating disorder from two different ethnic groups in Australia and Singapore. Method: The relationship of Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire Global, Restraint and Eating Concern scores to cultural orientation and sociocultural factors was analysed in 154 women with and without an eating disorder. Participants were from the following backgrounds: North European Australian, East Asian Australian, Singaporean Chinese and North European expatriates in Singapore. Results: Women with eating disorders had similar psychopathology across the cultural groups. Among controls, Singaporean Chinese reported significantly greater overall eating disorder psychopathology than other cultural groups and greater restraint than North European Australians/ expatriates. Eating concern was not associated with cultural group overall or acculturation to Western culture. Dissatisfaction with family functioning, socioeconomic status and education level were not significantly associated with any of the eating disorder measures. Conclusion: In eating disorder psychopathology, the specific symptom of eating concern may transcend cultural influences.

Description

Keywords

Keywords: adolescent; adult; anorexia nervosa; article; Asian; Australia; bulimia; Caucasian; Chinese; controlled study; cultural factor; eating disorder; education; ethnic difference; family life; feeding behavior; female; human; life satisfaction; major clinical Acculturation; Asian continental ancestry group; Cross-cultural comparison; Eating disorders; European continental ancestry group

Citation

Source

Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry

Type

Journal article

Book Title

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Restricted until

2037-12-31