Differences in Denial of Disordered Eating Among Black and White Female College Students
College
College of Sciences
Department
Psychology
Graduate Level
Doctoral
Graduate Program/Concentration
Clinical Psychology
Presentation Type
No Preference
Abstract
Denial of disordered eating is the tendency to conceal behaviors that reflect symptoms of an eating disorder. Research suggests individuals deny engaging in disordered eating to avoid feeling bad about themselves and present more favorably to others, which can hinger treatment seeking and negatively impact relationships. Although there have been some recent attempts to measure denial of disordered eating behaviors, no studies have examined denial of specific behaviors (e.g., binge eating, purging). Further, some research supports Black women engage in less disordered eating than White women, but it remains unclear whether Black and White women engage in denial of disordered eating behavior at similar rates. Thus, the purpose of this study was to address those gaps by examining racial differences in disordered eating and denial of both general and specific disordered eating behaviors in a sample of 2171 college women (M age = 20.73; 1119 Black; 1052 White) ages 18–30 from a racially diverse public university. Participants completed an online survey of disordered eating and global denial of disordered eating behaviors. Women who endorsed specific disordered eating behaviors also reported on denial of those behaviors (binge eating, self-induced vomiting, laxative use, excessive exercise). Independent samples t-tests demonstrated White women engaged in disordered eating (t (2128) = -10.12, p =
Differences in Denial of Disordered Eating Among Black and White Female College Students
Denial of disordered eating is the tendency to conceal behaviors that reflect symptoms of an eating disorder. Research suggests individuals deny engaging in disordered eating to avoid feeling bad about themselves and present more favorably to others, which can hinger treatment seeking and negatively impact relationships. Although there have been some recent attempts to measure denial of disordered eating behaviors, no studies have examined denial of specific behaviors (e.g., binge eating, purging). Further, some research supports Black women engage in less disordered eating than White women, but it remains unclear whether Black and White women engage in denial of disordered eating behavior at similar rates. Thus, the purpose of this study was to address those gaps by examining racial differences in disordered eating and denial of both general and specific disordered eating behaviors in a sample of 2171 college women (M age = 20.73; 1119 Black; 1052 White) ages 18–30 from a racially diverse public university. Participants completed an online survey of disordered eating and global denial of disordered eating behaviors. Women who endorsed specific disordered eating behaviors also reported on denial of those behaviors (binge eating, self-induced vomiting, laxative use, excessive exercise). Independent samples t-tests demonstrated White women engaged in disordered eating (t (2128) = -10.12, p =