Term of Award

Spring 1984

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Document Type and Release Option

Thesis (restricted to Georgia Southern)

Department

Department of Psychology

Committee Chair

Daniel B. Nagelberg

Committee Member 1

Gary McClure

Committee Member 2

Georgelle Thomas

Abstract

The present study used the Restraint Scale and the Binge Scale concurrently to identify two distinct groups of college students: those who scored low on both scales (L-L) and those who scored high on both scales (H-H). Out of an initial sample of 204 students, 25 L-L females, 26 H-H females, 13 L-L males, and 14 H-H males were administered the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the California Psychological Inventory (CPI), and an experimenter designed questionnaire based on DSM-III criteria which classified each individual as bulimic, binge eater, or normal. A chi-square analysis between groups (L-L, H-H) and DSM-III classification was significant (p < .05). All of the bulimics were from the H-H group. Twice as many binge eaters were from the H-H group as compared to the L-L group. A series of analyses of covariance revealed significant group differences (all _ps < .05) on the BDI and nine of the 18 CPI scales. Students in the H-H group were found to be more depressed than students in the L-L group and less well adjusted in the areas of socialization, maturity, responsibility, and intrapersona1 structuring of values. These results suggest that treatment which focuses on values clarification and issues of identity formation may be a useful approach to the treatment of binge eating. The Restraint Scale and the Binge Scale used together appear to be useful screening devices for the identification of individuals with varying degrees of eating disturbance.

Copyright

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