Perfectionism, low self-esteem, and family factors as predictors of bulimic behavior

Abstract

A previous study found that self-reported body dissatisfaction, depression, and peer pressure to maintain a thin body shape were significant predictors of bulimic behavior in college women, but that family functioning was not a significant predictor [Eat. Behav. 2 (2001) 323]. The current study examined whether perfectionism, low self-esteem, and a more specific family variable—perceived pressure from the family to be thin—predicted any additional variance in eating-disordered behavior after significant variables from the previous study had been taken into account. As in the previous study, self-reported body dissatisfaction, depression, and peer pressure to maintain a thin body shape were significant predictors of bulimic behavior. Perceived weight-related pressure from the family was also a significant predictor. In contrast, high parental expectations were found to predict lower levels of bulimic behavior and to moderate the effects of peer influence on bulimic behavior. The variables found in this study to be related to bulimic behavior may be useful targets for clinical intervention for women with disturbed eating patterns.