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This article presents research and evidence-based practices for identifying, understanding, diagnosing, conceptualizing, and providing a continuum of treatment for the most commonly experienced types of eating-related counseling concerns-namely, eating disorders not otherwise specified-among the population most likely to present these types of needs: adolescent girls and young adult and adult women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few studies examining the relationship between eating disorders and personality have been theoretically derived; thus, findings have been equivocal. From a theoretical and empirical perspective (S. Orbach, 1986; R. L. Rogers & T. A. Petrie, 1997; G. J. Williams et al., 1994), this study investigated the connection between eating disorder symptomatology and several psychological correlates — obsessiveness, dependency, overcontrolled hostility, assertiveness, locus of control, and self-esteem. Regression analyses indicated that obsessiveness and 2 factors of dependency accounted for 21% of the variance in a measure of anorexic attitudes and behaviors. One factor of dependency and obsessiveness accounted for 20% of the variance in a measure of bulimic symptomatology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors investigated the relationship between the cognitive and behavioral indicators of eating disorders and characteristics of codependency, including exaggerated caretaking and constricted emotion. In addition, the role of family environment was investigated through an assessment of separation from parents. College women who displayed more codependent characteristics evidenced higher levels of eating disordered behavior and conflictual separation from parents. The findings suggest that codependency may serve as an additional variable in the relationship between eating disorders and separation/individuation difficulties. Implications for counseling with college women are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the authors examined personality correlates (obsessiveness, dependency, self-directed hostility, and assertiveness) of anorexic symptomatology in female undergraduates. Regression analyses demonstrated that only obsessiveness and emotional reliance on another person (a measure of dependency) were related to anorexic symptoms, accounting for 19% of the variance. These findings are discussed in relation to S. Orbach's (1985, 1986) and other researchers' concept of the anorexic personality. Implications for therapeutic interventions and directions for future research are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twenty-nine college women evidencing low body esteem, repeated dieting efforts, and other dysfunctional eating behaviors or attitudes were randomly assigned to group treatment or control conditions. At posttest and fallow-up, participants who received the intervention reported significantly improved levels of self-esteem and body satisfaction, as well as reductions in their reliance on potentially dangerous methods of weight management compared with controls. A full-blown case of bulimia nervosa is an insidious and potentially life threatening disorder that is difficult to treat. The onset of the disorder, however, is not sudden and often there is a rather extended period of time during which symptoms worsen to the point of clinical significance. Therapeutic intervention during this period may be useful for two reasons. First, early intervention may reduce "subclinical" symptoms such as poor body esteem and unhealthy weight management practices that detract from a woman's health and quality of life. Second, early intervention may prevent a progression into full-blown bulimia.

The authors investigated whether different campus environment factors were related to eating disorder symptomatology at two distinctly different colleges. The first campus was conservative placing and emphasis on appearance and dress, whereas the second campus was liberal, placing and emphasis on political activism and intellectual talent. As hypothesized, the two schools did not differ in regard to overall levels of eating disorders, yet different factors were associated with eating disorder symptomatology at each school. Implications for eating disorder interventions on college campuses are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many authors have proposed the notion of an eating disorder continuum to aid in the understanding of similarities and differences among various types of eating disturbances and disorders. The purpose of this article is to present an eating disorders continuum and to describe groups on the continuum by highlighting differences among the groups on behavioral, cognitive-attitudinal, and self-esteem issues. The relationship of the continuum to the developmental course of eating disorders is discussed. Prevention, early intervention, and treatment programs for various groups on the continuum are presented. Recommendations for future research on the continuum of eating disorders are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A dysfunctional relationship with food is the most overt symptom shared by women with bulimia. Letters to food written by women with bulimia have similar thematic content and graphically illustrate the agony that accompanies bulimia. The discussion offers suggestions for the use of letters to food early in group treatment for bulimia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]