The role of mothers' involvement in their daughters' self-esteem and dieting behaviors.

PREVENTION of eating disorders; RISK assessment; SELF-evaluation; STATISTICAL correlation; PEARSON correlation (Statistics); HUMAN services programs; RESEARCH funding; EVALUATION of human services programs; QUESTIONNAIRES; CULTURE; STATISTICAL sampling; BODY image; SOCIAL norms; DESCRIPTIVE statistics; CHI-squared test; MULTIVARIATE analysis; EATING disorders; PRE-tests & post-tests; PSYCHOLOGY of mothers; DAUGHTERS; FOOD habits; PSYCHOLOGICAL stress; RESEARCH; ONE-way analysis of variance; ANALYSIS of variance; MOTHER-child relationship; MOTHERHOOD; COMPARATIVE studies; PSYCHOSOCIAL factors; SELF-perception; DIET

ISRAEL; MIDDLE East

This study presents an initial effort to develop disordered eating pathology (DEP) prevention program with an emphasis on maternal involvement. Disordered eating pathology representing a range of behaviors and attitudes, from negative body image to full-blown eating disorder. It appears mainly in adolescent females and related to psychological and familial factors, including maternal modeling of thinness. A sample of 118 Israeli girls (11–12) was divided into three groups: participants in the program in parallel with their mothers, participants without their mothers, and control. Participants completed self-report questionnaires. Groups were tested three times: pre-intervention, post-intervention, and follow-up. For those girls who participated in parallel with their mothers, higher self-esteem was associated with fewer pathological diet behaviors. Findings deepen understanding of the risk factors involved in the development of DEP. The main study contribution is the important role mothers play in preventing DEP among their daughters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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