Negative Religious Coping Predicts Disordered Eating Pathology Among Orthodox Jewish Adolescent Girls.

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Clinical Psychology
• Eating Disorders Research

Background:

• Disordered eating behaviors and pathology (DEP) exist on a continuum, ranging from mild to clinical eating disorders (EDs).
• Religious and spiritual factors are increasingly recognized as important in understanding disordered eating.
• Negative religious coping is a potential risk factor for developing DEP.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the role of positive and negative religious coping in the development of DEP.
• To describe DEP levels in a non-clinical sample of Orthodox Jewish adolescent females.
• To examine the mediating role of self-esteem in the relationship between religious coping and DEP.

Main Methods:

• A questionnaire assessed religious coping strategies, DEP, and self-esteem in 102 Orthodox Jewish adolescent females.
• Statistical analyses were used to explore associations and mediation effects.

Main Results:

• Higher levels of negative religious coping were significantly associated with increased DEP.
• Lower self-esteem mediated the relationship between negative religious coping and higher DEP.
• The sample exhibited lower overall DEP levels compared to similar populations in Israel and the USA.

Conclusions:

• Negative religious coping may contribute to DEP, partly through its impact on self-esteem.
• A strong religious and spiritual identity may act as a protective factor against disordered eating pathology.
• Further research is needed to understand the nuances of religious coping and its impact on eating disorder development.