Recognition of the importance of the role of family factors to eating disorders dates back to 1873 when Lasegue highlighted the importance of family in the explanation of anorexia nervosa. A positive relationship between family dysfunction and disordered eating has been routinely cited in the literature; however, there are many studies that have been published in which family dysfunction is related to other psychiatric disorders as well (Fairburn et al., 1997). Thus, there is an emerging need to examine specific factors of the family that are associated with disordered eating. A significant relationship between maternal commentary about weight and shape and disordered eating among daughters has been cited in the literature (Annus et al., 2007). Family functioning and negative paternal commentary regarding body shape and eating have been associated with increased disordered eating and have been shown to fully mediate the relationship between family dysfunction and disordered eating. In addition to maternal commentary, influence from peers to be thin has also been found to be significantly related to eating disorders among females. Furthermore, peer influence has emerged as a stronger predictor of eating disorder symptoms among college women compared to family influence (van den Berg et al., 2002). Thus, it appears important to assess peer influence when examining eating pathology among college women. To date, numerous studies regarding disordered eating have been conducted among Caucasian women; however, the cultural make-up of college student populations is increasingly becoming more diverse (Snyder et al., 2005), underscoring the importance of examining predictors of eating disorder symptomatology among women from diverse racial and ethnic groups. Therefore, the purpose of the current study is to examine the relation of general family functioning, negative maternal commentary regarding body shape and eating, and peer influence among Hispanic and Caucasian college women. The research questions are as follows: (1) To what extent does negative maternal commentary about body shape and eating mediate the relationship between general family functioning to behavioral and attitudinal eating disorder symptoms among Hispanic and Caucasian college women? (2) What is the relative contribution of peers and mothers' messages regarding body shape and eating to Hispanic and Caucasian college women's behavioral and attitudinal eating disorder symptoms? (3) Does peer influence moderate the relationship of mother's commentary about weight and body shape to behavioral and attitudinal eating disorder symptoms? The sample will consist of approximately 300 Caucasian and Hispanic undergraduate women for the University of Houston. Students will be recruited through sororities and through university courses. Participants will complete a demographic questionnaire, the Family Assessment Device (measure of family functioning), the Eating Disorder Examination - Questionnaire (measure of eating disorder attitudinal symptoms and behavioral symptoms), the Peer Influence Scale (measure of cues from peers to obtain or attain a thin body shape), the Family Experiences Related to Food Questionnaire - Mother (measure of maternal commentary about body shape and weight), and the Acculturation Rating Scale for Mexican-Americans II (measure of acculturation to western culture). Four series of regression analyses will be conducted to assess the extent to which the relationship between family functioning and eating disorder attitudinal and behavioral symptoms is mediated by maternal commentary among Caucasian and Hispanic college women. Two additional hierarchical regression analyses will be conducted to examine the combined and unique contribution of negative maternal commentary and peer influence to eating disorder attitudinal and behavioral symptoms as well as the extent to which peer influence moderates the relationship between maternal commentary and eating disorder attitudinal and behavioral symptoms among Caucasian and Hispanic college women.

Narrative Journeys of Young Black Women with Eating Disorders: A Hidden Community among Us explores how the realities of three young black women who have experienced eating disorders since childhood were transformed, discussing the larger implications of disordered eating in underrepresented populations. People of all ethnic, gender, and socioeconomic backgrounds are susceptible to their grips, yet black women and children are experiencing eating disorders and suffering in silence due to shame and stigma. Due to barriers such as the conventional thought that eating disorders do not occur in the black community, they are often not acknowledged, discussed, or treated properly. Stephanie Hawthorne argues that these women’s lived experiences substantiate the need for culturally sensitive and inclusive prevention, intervention, and care when it comes to mental health, and offers recommendations to schools, clinicians, parents, and adolescents to accomplish this goal. Scholars of communication, mental health, race studies, education, and medicine will find this book particularly useful.

Eating disorders are among the most complex disorders to treat, typically requiring medical, nutritional, and psychotherapeutic interventions. High relapse rates and the sense of urgency to save lives and minimize or prevent lifelong problems present challenges for even the most seasoned treatment providers. In an engaging, clear, and concise manner, Eating Disorders in Special Populations: Medical, Nutritional, and Psychological Treatments prepares physicians, dietitians, and psychotherapists to navigate the labyrinth they enter with eating disordered patients. Aggregating a vast amount of information and perspectives in a clear and concise format, readers will gain insight into the minds on both sides of the treatment room. From leading experts in the field, readers will learn how dietitians, physicians, and psychotherapists conceptualize and treat people with eating disorders, and treatment providers will discover the nuanced etiologies of eating disorder symptoms in a range of diverse populations. Increase your cultural competency and expand your practice by learning how eating disorders are created, maintained, and resolved. Join us in bringing light, health, and hope to our patients and to our colleagues across disciplines.

The aim of the present research was to further refine the Concerns about Change Scale (CCS), a self-report instrument designed to assess a wide range of potential concerns that may interfere with changing dysfunctional attitudes and behaviors. Initial studies employing this measure in eating disorder (ED), anxiety disorder, and substance abuse samples have provided preliminary support for its reliability and validity, but use of the scale is limited without a more comprehensive examination of its psychometric properties. In the current study, two samples were assessed, the first comprised of 230 females diagnosed with EDs and the second of 30 individuals diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Factor analysis of the CCS in the ED sample yielded eight factors, accounting for 57.71% of the variance. Strong support was found for the internal consistency of the CCS total scale (alpha=.96) and eight factor subscales (range alpha=.87-.92). Convergent validity was supported through significant correlations between the CCS and eating disorder symptoms (as measured by the EDI-2 Drive for Thinness and Body Dissatisfaction subscales). Significant correlations were also obtained between the CCS and measures of depression (i.e., Beck Depression Inventory-2; Brief Symptom Inventory-Depression subscale) and anxiety (i.e., Brief Symptom Inventory-Anxiety subscale). The newly derived factor analytic structure was applied to the OCD sample. Comparison of the OCD and ED groups demonstrated that the ED sample scored significantly higher than the OCD sample on every factor. The relationship between the CCS and OCD symptom severity was examined, but none of the 8 factors were significantly correlated with OCD symptom severity (as measured by the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Scale). These findings suggest that the CCS has strong psychometric properties within an ED sample and may be a useful tool for the measurement of attitudes that may inhibit behavioral change. In addition, the CCS shows promise in differentiating concerns about change among various forms of psychopathology, as well as other behavioral patterns. Knowledge of the concerns about change held by individuals with different disorders may provide valuable insight about how to target these concerns effectively during interventions.

Boys and men with eating disorders remain a population that is under-recognized and underserved within both research and clinical contexts. It has been well documented that boys and men with eating disorders often exhibit distinct clinical presentations with regard to core cognitive (e.g., body image) and behavioral (e.g., pathological exercise) symptoms. Such differences, along with the greater likelihood of muscularity-oriented disordered eating among boys and men, emphasize the importance of understanding and recognizing unique factors of clinical relevance within this population. This book reviews the most up-to-date research findings on eating disorders among boys and men, with an emphasis on clinically salient information across multiple domains. Five sections are included, with the first focused on a historical overview and the unique nature and prevalence of specific forms of eating disorder symptoms and body image concerns in boys and men. The second section details population-specific considerations for the diagnosis and assessment of eating disorders, body image concerns, and muscle dysmorphia in boys and men. The third section identifies unique concerns regarding medical complications and care in this population, including medical complications of appearance and performance-enhancing substances. The fourth section reviews current findings and considerations for eating disorder prevention and intervention for boys and men. The fifth section of the book focuses on specific populations (e.g., sexual minorities, gender minorities) and addresses sociocultural factors of particular relevance for eating disorders in boys and men (e.g., racial and ethnic considerations, cross-cultural considerations). The book then concludes with a concise overview of key takeaways and a focused summary of current evidence gaps and unanswered questions, as well as directions for future research. Written by experts in the field, Eating Disorders in Boys and Men is a comprehensive guide to an under-reported topic. It is an excellent resource for primary care physicians, adolescent medicine physicians, pediatricians, psychologists, clinical social workers, and any other professional conducting research with or providing clinical care for boys and men with eating disorders. It is also an excellent resource for students, residents, fellows, and trainees across various disciplines.

This book focuses on diversity, culture, and ethnicity as they relate to psychological assessment of Hispanics. It is a how-to guide for clinicians, researchers, and instructors working with Hispanic clients. Each chapter contains an overview of cultural considerations needed for assessing the Hispanic client followed by a specific exploration of the assessment measures available and the research that has been conducted on these measures with Hispanic participants. An exploration of the strengths and limitations of each assessment measure is included. Considering that ethnocultural minority individuals who are of Hispanic/Latino origin make up the largest ethnocultural minority group in the United States, guidelines for working with this population are a must. Given that a large subset of this percentage is composed of immigrants many of whom do not speak English or who have learned English as a second language, special considerations for effective psychological assessment are neccessary.This book fills a gap in the scientific literature by consolidating the research on psychological assessment with Hispanic samples into one comprehensive volume and providing simple recommendations for the psychological assessment of Hispanic clients. An exploration of the general psychological assessment domains (e.g., personality, intelligence) is included with references to research on the major assessment measures used in the field. A more specific exploration of psychodiagnostic assessment measures follows, including the assessment of mood disorders, anxiety disorders, sexual dysfunction, psychosis, etc. Several chapters are dedicated to specialized assessment, including neuropsychological assessment, forensic assessment, and school-based assessment, overall creating the most comprehensive, up-to-date, research-based compendium of psychological assessment measures for use with Hispanic clients.

This report assesses the U.S. military's approach to reducing stigma for mental health disorders and their treatment, how well it is working, and how it might be improved. It presents priorities for program and policy development and research and evaluation to get service members the treatment they need as efficiently and effectively as possible.