Gender differences regarding psychopathological, family and social characteristics in adolescents with abnormal eating behavior.

OBJECTIVE

(1) To identify gender differences regarding psychopathological, family and social characteristics in adolescents with abnormal eating behavior; (2) to study risk factors for this abnormal eating in boys and girls.

METHOD

Adolescents participating in this community-based longitudinal study completed, at the age of 13 (t(1)) and 15 years (t(2)), a semi-structured interview and the validated Spanish versions of several self-reported questionnaires measuring eating and general psychopathology. A control group of 150 pupils and 159 adolescents with abnormal eating behavior were selected.

RESULTS

Girls with abnormal eating showed significantly more psychiatric morbidity and boys more social difficulties. Body dissatisfaction and psychiatric morbidity predicted abnormal eating at t(2) only in girls.

DISCUSSION

The findings contribute to the debate on gender differences in abnormal eating behavior etiology.