A study of the relation between eating disorder and death concern

The relationship between eating disorder and various components of death orientation (fear, anxiety, acceptance and concern) was examined, taking into account the level of depression in patient samples as well as elements of religiosity. The results were not able to support more than a very modest relationship between eating disorder and death orientation. Eating disorder patients could not be distinguished from other clinical controls, nor did anorexia nervosa patients differ from other eating disorder patients in this respect. Beck and Beck [20] depression scores were higher in the non eating disordered clinical sample than in the eating disorder group, and death concern was shown to be related to the severity of depression. Religiosity did not appear important when indices of religiosity were considered, but did emerge as an important factor in the "free information" provided by participants.