Dataset Information

Exploring associations between positive and negative valanced parental comments about adolescents' bodies and eating and eating problems: a community study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Adolescence is a time of rapid emotional and physical development when foundational self-concepts (including beliefs about one's weight and shape) are established. Parents are key influencers of adolescent beliefs and behaviours. This study aimed to investigate associations between perceived positive and negative parental comments on weight/shape and eating, with sons' and daughters' psychological distress and eating disorder cognitions (EDCs).

Methods

A representative mixed-sex sample of 2204 Australian adolescents (12-19 years) from the EveryBODY Study completed an online survey exploring eating behaviours, psychological wellbeing and experiences of parental comments regarding weight, shape and eating behaviours.

Results

Correlation analyses revealed that adolescents' reports of perceived positive parental comments on shape/weight were significantly associated with lower psychological distress and EDCs only for daughters. All perceived negative parental comments on shape/weight or eating were associated with greater psychological distress and EDCs for both sons and daughters. In the final model of the regression analysis, only perceived parental negative shape/weight and maternal negative eating comments, adolescent stage and biological sex were significantly associated with EDCs. When known contributors such as BMI percentile and psychological distress were included in the regression model, adolescent stage and perceived negative paternal comments were no longer significantly associated with EDCs.

Conclusions

Overall, results show perceived negative comments were associated with poorer adolescent mental health, both their specific EDCs and general distress. Findings highlight the importance of raising awareness of potential negative impacts within family systems of comments around weight/shape and eating in these key formative years. Trial Registration The study was approved by the Macquarie University Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC 5201600312) and the New South Wales Department of Education.

SUBMITTER: Dahill LM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8953043 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Exploring associations between positive and negative valanced parental comments about adolescents' bodies and eating and eating problems: a community study.

Dahill Lucy M LM Morrison Natalie M V NMV Mannan Haider H Mitchison Deborah D Touyz Stephen S Bussey Kay K Trompeter Nora N Hay Phillipa P

Journal of eating disorders 20220324 1

<h4>Background</h4>Adolescence is a time of rapid emotional and physical development when foundational self-concepts (including beliefs about one's weight and shape) are established. Parents are key influencers of adolescent beliefs and behaviours. This study aimed to investigate associations between perceived positive and negative parental comments on weight/shape and eating, with sons' and daughters' psychological distress and eating disorder cognitions (EDCs).<h4>Methods</h4>A representative ...[more]

PMID: 35331338

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundThe adolescent years see significant physical and emotional development that lay foundations for patterns of behaviour that can continue into adult life, including the shaping of eating behaviours. Given parents are key socio-environmental drivers and influencers of adolescent behaviours around physical health and wellbeing, it is critical to consider if specific forms of parental communication are potentially contributing to the associated emotional difficulties experienced in the adolescent years. The aim of this research was to systematically review the myriad of literature pertaining to the prevalence of parental weight or appearance-based teasing and adolescent eating problems to examine how the scientific and clinical community currently understands the relationship between these domains.MethodsA systematic search of the literature, using the SCOPUS, APA PsycINFO, Medline, CINAHL databases, reference lists and Google Scholar, was undertaken to identify relevant literature for parental teasing and problem eating in adolescents aged 10-19 years, published between January 1980 to October 2020, in English or French.ResultsSix studies met criteria for inclusion, all were cross-sectional studies and two included additional prospective data. Although parents were not the most common perpetrators of teasing, often subsidiary to that of peers and siblings, the influence and impact of parental teasing remained significant, and in some cases, appeared to interact with sibling-based teasing. This teasing was associated with problem eating behaviours for adolescents.ConclusionsThere is evidence in the literature to suggest the existence of an association between 'eating problems' amongst adolescents and exposure to parental appearance or weight teasing. Parents are unlikely to be aware of the perception or impact of the words they use or the wider influence these words may have. Future research should employ representative longitudinal designs to develop a greater understanding of the relationships between parental communications around their adolescent's appearance or weight and how that communication is perceived by adolescents within complex family processes.Trial registrationPROSPERO 2018 CRD42018109623 . Prospectively registered 15th October 2018.

Dataset Information

Exploring associations between positive and negative valanced parental comments about adolescents' bodies and eating and eating problems: a community study.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Exploring associations between positive and negative valanced parental comments about adolescents' bodies and eating and eating problems: a community study.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets