Eating disorders and spirituality in college students

Relationships between patterns of weight-related self-monitoring and eating disorder symptomology among undergraduate and graduate students

OBJECTIVE

To characterize patterns of weight-related self-monitoring (WRSM) among US undergraduate and graduate students and examine associations between identified patterns of WRSM and eating disorder symptomology.

METHOD

Undergraduate and graduate students from 12 US colleges and universities (N = 10,010) reported the frequency with which they use WRSM, including self-weighing and dietary self-monitoring. Eating disorder symptomology was assessed using the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire. Gender-specific patterns of WRSM were identified using latent class analysis, and logistic regressions were used to identify differences in the odds of eating disorder symptomology across patterns of WRSM.

RESULTS

Among this sample, 32.7% weighed themselves regularly; 44.1% reported knowing the nutrition facts of the foods they ate; 33.6% reported knowing the caloric content of the foods they ate; and 12.8% counted the calories they ate. Among women, four patterns of WRSM were identified: "no WRSM," "all forms of WRSM," "knowing nutrition/calorie facts," and "self-weigh only." Compared with the "no WRSM" pattern, women in all other patterns experienced increased eating disorder symptomology. Among men, three patterns were identified: "no WRSM," "all forms of WRSM," and "knowing nutrition/calorie facts." Only men in the "all forms WRSM" pattern had increased eating disorder symptomatology compared with those in the "no WRSM" pattern.

DISCUSSION

In a large sample of undergraduate and graduate students, engaging in any WRSM was associated with increased eating disorder symptomology among women, particularly for those who engaged in all forms. Among men, engaging in all forms of WRSM was the only pattern associated with higher eating disorder symptomology.

Does high teacher autonomy support reduce smartphone use disorder in Chinese adolescents? A moderated mediation model

The Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution model (I-PACE; Brand, Young, Laier, Wölfling, & Potenza, 2016) proposes that addictive behavior is the result of the interaction of multiple factors. According to I-PACE model, perceived social support (teacher autonomy support), self-esteem, and gratification (life satisfaction) contribute to adolescent smartphone use disorder (SUD) (Brand et al., 2016). However, previous studies have rarely examined the interactive effects of teacher autonomy support, self-esteem and life satisfaction on adolescent SUD. The present study examined these relationships using a moderated mediation model in which self-esteem played a mediating role and life satisfaction played a moderating role in the relation between teacher autonomy support and adolescent SUD. A sample of 1912 Chinese adolescents completed measures of teacher autonomy support, self-esteem, life satisfaction, and adolescent SUD. Self-esteem mediated the association between teacher autonomy support and adolescent SUD. In addition, the relation between teacher autonomy support and SUD was moderated by life satisfaction: when the effect of life satisfaction was high, teacher autonomy support negatively predicted adolescent SUD, whereas when the effect of life satisfaction was low, teacher autonomy support was positively related to adolescent SUD. These findings advance our understanding of the effect of teacher autonomy support, self-esteem and life satisfaction on adolescent SUD. Limitations and implications of this study are discussed, such as teacher autonomy support may not reduce adolescent SUD, especially when their life satisfaction is low.

Impact of an intervention through Facebook to strengthen Self-esteem in nursing students

Objective:

to evaluate the impact of the “Strengthening Self-Esteem” intervention proposed by the Nursing Interventions Classification, conducted through the use of Facebook, on the self-esteem and self-efficacy levels of nursing undergraduates.

Method:

quasi-experimental study carried out in two Higher Education Institutions. The sample consisted of 74 students. Two data collection tools were applied before and after the intervention: Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and General and Perceived Self-Efficacy Scale. The students were submitted to the intervention for ten sessions. Posts were made in private profile created on Facebook and consisted of positive messages, reflective texts and pictures, all supported by the persuasive resources of Bandura’s theoretical framework.

Results:

of the 264 students who answered the pretest, 74 (28.03%) participated in the interventions and the post-test. Rosenberg self-esteem (p=0.026) and self-efficacy (p=0.001) scores after the intervention were significantly higher than those obtained before, confirming the effectiveness of the intervention.

Conclusion:

the “Strengthening Self-Esteem” intervention was effective for improving students’ self-esteem and self-efficacy levels. Such interventions help spread knowledge and build mentally healthier individuals.

Practices and Attitudes of Nursing Students Toward Patients With Disordered Eating Behaviors

Disordered eating (DE) behaviors are associated with obesity and eating disorders. This study describes practices and attitudes of nursing students toward patients exhibiting DE and how personal DE behaviors affect practices and attitudes. Most respondents had a mental health rotation (74.7 percent) and DE education (68 percent); however, only 34.7 percent felt prepared to screen for DE, and only 44 percent were taught to screen. Those scoring high for DE behaviors (n = 7) indicated greater rates of feeling prepared to screen. This knowledge can help nurse educators design curricula to increase the preparation of nurses to address DE behaviors.

IMPACT OF SELF-ESTEEM AND OF THE SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS ON THE SELF-EFFICACY OF UDERGRADUATE NURSING STUDENTS

ABSTRACT Objectives: to identify self-efficacy and self-esteem levels in undergraduate nursing students and to verify the mutual relationship between these constructs and with sociodemographic variables. Method: a cross-sectional study, with a sample of 264 students from two universities. Self-esteem and self-efficacy were measured by the Brazilian versions of the Rosenberg's Self-Esteem and of the General and Perceived Self-Efficacy scales, respectively. Results: a predominance of moderate to high self-efficacy was identified, with a mean score of 35.29 and moderate self-esteem, with a mean of 23.48. Self-efficacy was associated with the male gender, priority option in the college entrance examination by nursing, satisfaction with the course and absence of overload, besides correlating positively with age and self-esteem. Conclusion: self-efficacy and self-esteem levels were moderate/high and moderate, respectively. These constructs have shown a mutual relationship and assume an indispensable role both in the individual's personal life and in the professionalization process. These findings point to the need to strengthen mental health in this population, especially in vulnerable students (female, activity overload, dissatisfaction with the course and low self-esteem and self-efficacy), in order to foster their sense of value and the belief in their abilities.

Psychometric properties of the Purpose-In-Life Test and age-related differences among women diagnosed with eating disorders

The aim of this study was to analyze the psychometric properties of the Purpose-In-Life Test (PIL), as well as the age-related differences in meaning in life in women diagnosed with eating disorders. Participants were 250 Spanish women diagnosed with eating disorders who ranged from 12 to 60 years old. Confirmatory Factor Analysis, descriptive analyses, estimation of the internal consistency of the PIL, correlations between the PIL and the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS), Overweight Preoccupation Scale (OPS), and Body Investment Scale (BIS), and age differences were calculated. A 19-item model that showed a good fit and internal consistency, a negative correlation between the PIL and both the BHS and OPS, and a positive correlation with the BIS, as well as significant differences between the adolescents and the mature adults, were found. It would be advisable to increase the inclusion of meaning in life in psychotherapeutic interventions with women diagnosed with eating disorders.

Disordered eating attitudes in female students of An-Najah National University: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Eating disorders (ED) are serious psychiatric disorders characterized by unhealthy eating habits. There is a limited number of studies on eating disorders among female university students in Arab countries. Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine the prevalence of disordered eating attitudes (EA) among female students at An-Najah National University, Palestine.

METHODS

A survey study on 2001 female students at An-Najah National University was carried out. The Sick, Control, One Stone, Fat, Food (SCOFF) screening questionnaire and the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) were used.

RESULTS

Of the 2001 participants, 28.6% scored ≥ 20 on the EAT-26 while 38.2% scored ≥ 2 on the SCOFF scale. A significant positive correlation was found between body mass index (BMI) and EAT-26 and SCOFF scores. There was a significant difference in EAT-26 (p < .01) and SCOFF scores (p = .037) between different academic specializations. Female students in non-scientific fields (arts and humanities) obtained higher scores than female students in scientific/medical fields. Age was significantly and negatively correlated with EAT-26 scores but not with SCOFF scores. Approximately 85% of students with scores in the "high risk" category of the EAT-26 scale endorsed the item "I am terrified about being overweight".

CONCLUSION

Awareness regarding appropriate nutrition in relation to body weight is needed among female university students. A general university elective course in this regard might be helpful.