Citation

Tasca GA, Ritchie K, Zachariades F, Proulx G, Trinneer A, Balfour L, Demidenko N, Hayden G, Wong A, Bissada H. Child Abuse Negl. 2013; 37(11): 926-933.

Affiliation

University of Ottawa, Canada; The Ottawa Hospital, Canada; Carleton University, Canada.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.chiabu.2013.03.004

PMID

23623443

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Childhood maltreatment occurs often among those with an eating disorder and is considered a nonspecific risk factor. However, the mechanisms by which childhood maltreatment may lead to an eating disorder are not well understood. The current study tests a model in which attachment insecurity is hypothesized to mediate the relationship between childhood maltreatment and eating disorder psychopathology. METHOD: Treatment seeking adults with eating disorders (N=308) completed questionnaires about childhood maltreatment, eating disorder psychopathology, and adult attachment. RESULTS: Structural equation models indicated that childhood trauma had a direct effect on eating disorder symptoms. Also, attachment anxiety and avoidance each equally mediated the childhood maltreatment to eating disorder psychopathology relationship. CONCLUSIONS: Attachment insecurity, characterized by affect dysregulation and interpersonal sensitivities may help to explain why eating disorder symptoms may be one consequence of childhood maltreatment in a clinical sample. Clinicians treating primarily those with trauma might assess for disordered eating as a potential manifestation of the sequelae of trauma and attachment insecurity.

Language: en