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Empirical support for a model of dieting: findings from structural equations modeling
Gail F Huon1, Anoushka Gunewardene, Angela Hayne
1School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Objective:
This paper presents the results of an evaluation of a model of dieting (Huon, G.F., & Strong, K.G., International Journal of Eating Disorders, 23, 361-370, 1998). It represents the culmination of a large-scale time-extended study of dieting among adolescent girls.
Methods:
Data were collected from approximately 1,000 girls. A battery of questionnaires assessed dieting status, social influence, vulnerability (conformity) disposition, protective social skills, and aspects of the familial context as core components of the model.
Results:
When the data were subjected to analyses within structural equations modeling, all specific hypotheses within the model found strong support. Moreover, multiple indices revealed that the model had a very good fit with the data and accounted for 89% of the variance in commitment to dieting.
Conclusion:
This study provides strong support for the validity of Huon and Strong's model of dieting among Australian girls. Its generality among girls in other cultures remains to be established.