[Eating disorders and personal behavioral control].

OBJECTIVE

To explore the three components of personal behavioral control: Objective control, subjective control and control beliefs among normal women, women at risk of anorexia or bulimia and women with sub-clinical eating disorders.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

In 1997, a cross-sectional study was conducted in Caracas, Venezuela. The study population consisted of 87 women: 21 with sub-clinical eating disorders, 33 at risk of having an eating disorder, and 33 normal women. Measurement instruments used were: Eating Attitude Test, Composite International Diagnostic Interview, Self-control Inventory, Inventory for Perceived Self-efficacy for Self-control, and the Locus of Control Inventory. Data analysis consisted of analysis of variance, and post hoc comparisons were done with the Student-Neuman-Keuls test.

RESULTS

Women with sub-clinical eating disorders were found to have difficulty for behavior self-control, lower self-efficacy to regulate their behavior, and beliefs of control by powerful others over their behavior and its consequences.

CONCLUSIONS

The results from this study are a first attempt to understand the role of the psychological variable "personal control of behavior", as a protective or risk factor for developing sub-clinical anorexia or bulimia.