Recollections of Childhood Psychological Maltreatment and Self-Reported Eating Disordered Behaviors in Undergraduate College Females

Abstract

ABSTRACT The relationship between psychological maltreatment and eating disordered behaviors has not been extensively studied. Eighty-eight females, ranging in age from 18 to 25, completed a questionnaire containing the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI), the Psychological Maltreatment Inventory (EDI), and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). Results showed a significant positive correlation between the total score on the EDI and the total score on the PMI. Regression analyses indicate that of the four major forms of maltreatment, psychological maltreatment during childhood is the most predictive of eating disordered behavior in later adolescence.