Self‐efficacy beliefs and eating behavior in adolescent girls at‐risk for excess weight gain and binge eating disorder
Year: 2013
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between self-related agency beliefs and observed eating behavior in adolescent girls with loss of control (LOC) eating. METHOD: One-hundred eleven adolescent girls (14.5 ± 1.7 years; BMI: 27.1 ± 2.6 kg/m(2)) were administered the General Self-Efficacy Scale and the Weight Efficacy Lifestyle Questionnaire (WEL). Adolescents then participated in a laboratory test meal. RESULTS: Greater general and eating self-efficacy were associated with fewer episodes of LOC eating. General self-efficacy was inversely related to total intake at the meal (p < .01). Only the WEL availability subscale score, but not the other WEL subscales, was inversely related to total energy, snack, and dessert intake (ps < 0.05). DISCUSSION: General self-related agency beliefs may be important in relation to energy consumption. Among girls susceptible to disordered eating and obesity, the domain-specific belief in one's ability to refrain from eating when food is widely available may be especially salient in determining overeating in the current food environment. Further research is therefore needed to assess the predictive validity of these beliefs on eating and weight outcomes.
DOI: 10.1002/eat.22160
Institutions: New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University, American University, National Institutes of Health, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, United States Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2137700892