Background: The aim of this research was to assess the relationship between coping mechanisms and eating disorders as well as to determine coping strategies as predictors of eating disorders pathology.
Subjects and methods: Participants included 52 females meeting the DSM-IV criteria for anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa and 55 university students. Assessment tools were the Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Scale and the Stress Coping Questionnaire.
Results: Eating disorders were positively related to substance use, substitute gratification, avoidance, aggression, and drug use. Additionally, significant negative correlations were found between eating disorders and relaxation, planning, using instrumental support, acceptance as well as venting. The regression analysis revealed that eating disorders were positively associated with coping strategies focused on substance use and religion, and negatively associated with using emotional support, positive self-instructions and positive reframing. The non linear principal components analysis allowed for exploring similarities and differences in the latent structure of the configuration of coping strategies between the clinical group and the control group.
Conclusions: Since women with anorexia and bulimia nervosa apply emotion-focused coping strategies to manage their stress, psychotherapeutic intervention with these patients should focus on changing inappropriate coping mechanisms.