The aim of this study was to determine the relationship of disordered eating behavior to body dissatisfaction and physical and psychological abuse in childhood.
Material and methods: A total of 299 first- through fourth-year female students of Kaunas University of Medicine and Vytautas Magnus University took part in the survey. The respondents filled in the Eating Attitude Test-26 (EAT-26), Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) and answered the questions about parental physical and psychological abuse in childhood.
Results: Women who are dissatisfied with their body image diet more often (p<0.05), and they are significantly more likely to display bulimic behavior (p<0.05). Women who have experienced parental physical and psychological abuse demonstrate more anorexic behavior (p<0.05). In addition, they diet more often (p<0.05).
Conclusions: Women who are dissatisfied with their body image show more disordered eating behavior: they diet more often and are more likely to display bulimic behavior. Parental physical and psychological abuse in childhood is related to eating behavior characteristic of anorexia nervosa. Parental physical and psychological abuse in childhood is not related to bulimic behavior. Women who have experienced parental physical and psychological abuse in childhood do not differ in body dissatisfaction from women who have not experienced such an abuse in their childhood.