Given the current obesity epidemic, research on eating disorders (EDs) may seem inconsequential. However, a recent study suggests that disordered eating is associated with obesity in college females (Desai, Miller, Staples, & Bravender, 2008). One of the strongest predictors of disordered eating is body dissatisfaction (Smolak & Murnen, 2001). Body dissatisfaction and disordered eating are common concerns among college females (Holston & Cashwell, 2000). Studies have shown that 25% to 40% of college females are concerned with negative body image, binge eating, or unhealthy weight loss strategies (Holston & Cashwell, 2000; Schwitzer, Hatfield, Jones Duggan, Jurgens, & Winninger, 2008).
Research has indicated that resilient qualities and the ability to positively adapt have a preventive effect on ED development (Butters & Cash, 1987; Cook-Cottone & Phelps, 2003). According to the metatheory of resilience and resiliency, Richardson (2002) suggests that a “motivational energy” is required to develop resilient qualities and learn how to positively adapt. This energy is termed "core resilience" (Shores, 2004) and refers to a driving force within all humans to seek the realization of their true potential. The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the relationship between core resilience and ED risk in college females.
Method
Female students (N = 254), ages 18-25, from a large university in the Mountain West completed two self-report instruments. Three subscales from the Eating Disorder Inventory-3 (EDI-3; Garner, 2004) were summed to assess ED risk: body dissatisfaction, drive for thinness, and bulimic characteristics (coefficient alpha = 0.90, 0.90, and 0.82, respectively). Three subscales from the Assessment of Core Resilience (ACR; Shores, 2004) were summed to assess total core resilience: love of self, love of others, and love of a higher power (coefficient alpha = 0.89, 0.82, 0.97, respectively).
Analysis/Results
Scores indicated 13% (n = 34) of the participants were at risk for developing an ED. Participants reported moderately high core resilience (mean = 128.32, SD = 24.86). Results revealed that there was a negative relationship between core resilience and ED risk (r = -0.39), core resilience was a significant predictor of lower ED risk, body dissatisfaction was a significant predictor of drive for thinness and bulimic characteristics, and love of self was a significant predictor of bulimic characteristics.
Conclusions
Findings indicated that higher core resilience was associated with lower eating disorder risk. Further exploration of this relationship and the preventive effect of core resilience on EDs is warranted.
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