Autonomous-related self, eating attitude and body satisfaction in young females.

PURPOSE

This research aimed to investigate the relationship between the self, eating attitudes, and body satisfaction within the framework of the autonomous-related self model, in which the healthy functioning self is described as "autonomous" and "related."

METHODS

Female university students (n = 314) with a mean age of 19 (SD = 1.18) were included in the research. The mean body mass index (BMI) of participants was 20.77 (SD = 2.77, range = 15.57-33.06). Participants completed a demographics questionnaire, the Autonomy-Relatedness Scales, Eating Attitudes Test, Body Cathexis Scale, and Beck Depression Inventory.

RESULTS

Lower autonomy-relatedness (β = -0.13, p < 0.05) predicted more problematic eating attitudes, but autonomy-relatedness itself was not a significant predictor of body satisfaction in young females. Ideal weight scores (β = -0.19, p < 0.01) negatively predicted a disturbance in eating attitudes, whereas depression scores (β = 0.12, p < 0.05) positively predicted a disturbance. Although none of the self-constructs (autonomy, relatedness, autonomy-relatedness) were significant predictors of body satisfaction, BMI (β = -0.20, p < 0.001), and depressive symptoms (β = -0.28, p < 0.001) negatively predicted body satisfaction, whereas ideal weight scores (β = 0.14, p < 0.01) positively predicted body satisfaction.

CONCLUSIONS

The Autonomous-Related Self was a meaningful measure of associations between the self and eating psychopathology, but not of the relationship between the self and body satisfaction. It was also important to evaluate objective (e.g., BMI) and subjective (e.g., ideal weight) indicators of weight to better understand the nature of eating patterns and body satisfaction. Future research on autonomy-relatedness and other psychopathology is recommended.