Eating Disorders and Depression

Co‐occurring eating and depressive problems: An 8‐year study of adolescent girls

“…In addition, descriptive statistics and logistic regressions suggested a pattern of eating problems preceding depressive problems for girls who went on to have both, although sample and cell size prevent strong conclusions on the etiology of co-occurrence. Although the literature is not sufficiently extensive to establish a common pattern of development, this finding is consistent with research on eating and depressive disorders using clinical samples (Devlin & Walsh, 1989) and epidemiological approaches (Rohde et al, 1991). The strain of coping with an eating problem by both the adolescent and her support system may result in withdrawal, isolation, and increased symptomatology of depression.…”

Testing a dual-process family model in understanding the development of eating pathology: A structural equation modeling analysis

“…This finding provides empirical support for the view (Devlin & Walsh, 1989;Leung & Steiger, 1991) that one or more unspecified third variables (either genetic or psychological in nature) increase vulnerability both to eating disorders and to other psychiatric disturbances. It would account for the frequently observed association between these symptoms (Devlin & Walsh, 1989;Garner et al, 1990). Results of the present model point to body and selfesteem problems as potentially important mediating variables that warrant serious consideration in future research.…”

“…On the other hand, dysfunctional family relationships (a latent construct indexed by family cohesion and adaptability) will have direct effects on self-esteem deficit and psychiatric symptoms, and indirect effects mediated by self-esteem deficit on eating and psychiatric symptoms. The causal direction between eating and psychiatric symptoms has long been a subject of controversy (Devlin & Walsh, 1989;Leung & Steiger, 1991). One view (eg., Johnson & Connors, 1987) argues that psychiatric symptoms observed among patients of eating disorders reflects primary characterological disturbance, and this disturbance renders an individual more vulnerable to develop eating pathology.…”

Nutrition and Behavior

“…A relatively high rate of alcoholism also has been observed in family members of anorexics. Estimates indicate that from 12% to 19% of the fathers of anorexics may suffer from alcoholism compared to approximately 9% in the general population (Hall 1978 ;Winokur, March, and Mendels 1980;Rakoff 1983;Devlin and Walsh 1989). Finally, an association between psychosomatic illness and anorexia has been noted.…”

“…In contrast to anorexics, individuals with bulimia are less likely to suffer from amenorrhea and more likely to engage in sexual behavior. Bulimics also display more symptoms of depression, show greater lability of mood, and are thought to be at a higher risk for suicide than anorexics (Andersen 1984;Devlin and Walsh 1989).…”