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Updated: Jun 25, 2026

A Computer-Based Platform for Aiding Clinicians in Eating Disorder Analysis and Diagnosis
Published on: May 10, 2022
Parents as protective factors in eating problems of college women
Elizabeth D Cordero1, Tania Israel
1Department of Counseling, Clinical & School Psychology, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, USA. ecordero@sciences.sdsu.edu
Abstract:
This study examined how parents can protect their college-aged daughters from disordered eating. Specifically, the influence of the following variables on disordered eating was investigated: parental emotional availability and acceptance, parents' critical messages about weight and shape, acceptance of sociocultural attitudes about appearance, self-esteem, and early menarche. Participants included a random sample of 211 female undergraduates who completed an Internet questionnaire. Using multiple regression, messages heard from mothers and fathers were found to contribute to disordered eating, and sociocultural attitudes acted as a mediator for the effects of mothers' and fathers' messages on disordered eating. Implications are discussed.
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