Parental Bonding and Body Mass Index in a Female Community Sample: The Mediating Role of Eating Disorder Thoughts and Core Beliefs.

BACKGROUND

It is likely that disrupted early parent-child relationships, eating disorder related cognitions and negative self-beliefs are relevant to some women who are overweight/obese.

AIMS

This study tested the hypotheses that disrupted parent-child relationships would be linked to higher body mass index (BMI) and that this relationship would then be mediated by cognition.

METHOD

A group of women were recruited from the community and completed measures of eating disorder (ED) thoughts, negative self-beliefs, and parental bonding. Individual body mass indices (BMIs) were calculated.

RESULTS

One hundred and eighteen women completed the study. There was a relationship between parental bonding and higher BMI. As hypothesized, the relationship between parental bonding (as measured by maternal care, and paternal overprotection) and BMI appeared to be mediated by a range of ED thoughts, and some negative self-beliefs.

CONCLUSION

The cognitions measured here, both ED related cognitions and negative self-beliefs, may be a useful target when considering psychological treatment for women who are overweight or obese.