Maternal bonding and vulnerability related to eating:the mediational role of eating disorder beliefs and alexithymia

Subject Areas : روان درمانگری

Ali Asghar Hosseinzadeh ¹ , Hidar Ali Hooman ² , Mahdieh Salehi ³ , Shirin Kooshki ⁴

1 - PhD Candidate in Psychology Islamic Azad University Central Tehran Branch
2 - PhD Islamic Azad University Central Tehran Branch
3 - PhD Islamic Azad University Central Tehran Branch
4 - PhD Islamic Azad University Central Tehran Branc

Received: 2015-06-02 Accepted : 2015-06-02 Published : 2012-12-21

Keywords: maternal bonding, alexithymia, eating disorder beliefs, vulnerability related to eating,

Abstract :

the present study examined a theoretical model of indirect relationship between maternal bonding and symptoms of vulnerability related to eating through two mediational variables eating disorder beliefs and alexithymia. Five hundred and twenty five students (215 females, 210 males) were selected through the cluster random sampling. The sample completed the Eating Disorder Inventory (Garner & et al., 1987), the Alexithymia Scale (Bagby & et al., 1994), the Eating Disorder Belief Questionnaire (Cooper & et al., 1997) and the Parental Bonding Instrument (Parker & et al., 1979). The results of structural equation modeling indicated that the maternal bonding had a significant indirect relation to symptoms of vulnerability to eating through alexithymia. However, relation of maternal bonding to symptoms of vulnerability to eating through eating disorder beliefs wasn’t significant. The findings suggested that strengthening maternal bonding can play an important role in preventing eating disorders in adolescents.