Mediators of the association between abuse and disordered eating in undergraduate men

The vast majority of ED research has focused on women. However, recent studies have suggested that ED symptomatology in men may be underestimated. Additional investigations are needed to better understand EDs and their correlates among men. This study examined the relationships between childhood abuse experiences and disordered eating in male undergraduates. In addition, potential mediators and moderators of the association between abuse and disordered eating were evaluated. Results indicated that physical abuse and physical neglect were the only adverse childhood experiences associated with disordered eating. In addition, depression mediated the associations between these forms of abuse and ED symptomatology. However, neither anxiety nor alexithymia were significant mediators of the association between abuse and EDs. Social support moderated the association between physical neglect and depression, such that individuals with high social support were less depressed than those with low social support, regardless of their level of physical neglect. These results are somewhat different than those found in exclusively female samples, highlighting the importance of specifically examining EDs and their correlates among men.