The Development and Testing of the Codependency-Overeating Model in Undergraduate Social Science Students in a Mississippi College

Abstract

Overeating is a common eating disorder and often leads to obesity and to significant physical, emotional, and social problems often warranting nursing care. Codependency has expanded beyond the chemical dependency field and describes the dysfunctional pattern of behavior of an individual in a relationship with another person or from survival in a dysfunctional family of origin. The psychological and behavioral factors surrounding overeating are noted frequently in the literature but are not emphasized in most overeating treatment programs. Anxiety, depression, anger, and compulsivity are the psychological problems often linked with overeating and codependency. The purpose of this study was to test the CodependencyOvereating Model (COM) by examining the relationship between overeating and codependency, anxiety, depression, anger, and compulsivity. The variables were measured with the Overeating Questionnaire, Codependency Assessment Tool, and Symptom Checklist-90-R. This study used a model-testing correlational design with 567 students recruited from a Mississippi community college. Pearson's product-moment correlations noted weak correlations between age and anxiety (r = .12), age and depression (r = .20), age and compulsivity (r = .20), codependency and anxiety (r = .12), and codependency and anger (r = .16). No significant correlations were noted between overeating and codependency, anxiety, depression, anger, or compulsivity. Although the predictive relationships were not verified in the model, several important ways to minimize limitations in future studies were identified. The development and testing of the COM was the beginning step in pursuing a solid understanding of overeating and codependency and a catalyst for worthwhile future research.

Comparison of Nursing and Mechanical Engineering Students’ Codependency Levels

“…Also, the most common selfreported psychological problem was depression/mood disorders; this is supported by data from the literature, which indicate that the most prevalent psychological disorders associated with codependency are anxiety, depression, anger, and compulsiveness (Bynum et al, 2012;Snow, 1997). In a study investigating codependency and related health variables, Martsolf, Sedlak, and Doheny (2000) reported that codependency and perceived health correlate to functional ability and depression, a finding which is consistent with our results.…”

“…Higher scores indicate higher levels of codependency (Ancel, 2012;Hughes-Hammer et al, 1998). Also, the scores of the scale are graded as follows: low-minimal codependency (25-50), mild codependency (51-75), moderate codependency (76-100), and severe codependency (101-125;Bynum, Boss, Schoenhofer, & Martsolf, 2012;Martsolf et al, 1999).…”

Thoughts About Social Issues

“…Our literature search yielded two relevant journal articles (Fowler & Risner, 1994; Olson, 2001), eight doctoral dissertations (Bynum, 2012; Casalenuova, 2002; Lamb, 1998; Manister, 2012; Ngangana, 2014; Roojanavech, 2012; Simpson, 2001; Talato, 2015), and one master’s thesis (Todd, 2011). Inasmuch as we regard health policy as a social issue within the context of the Neuman systems model, we added our journal article about conceptual models and health policies (Aronowitz & Fawcett, 2015).…”

“…Fowler and Risner (1994) and Olson (2001) apparently did not regard the social issues as client systems. Bynum (2012) did not identify what the social difficulties or problems are. Authors of other dissertations and the master’s thesis did not explicitly identify social issues.…”

Family of Origin Relations and Codependency in Nurses

“…Ayrıca literatürde kök aile ile karşılıklı bağımlılığın ilişkili olduğunu belirten hemşirelik öğrencileri (22) ve sosyal bilimler (23) örnekleminde yapılan çalışmalara rastlansa da bu ilişkinin hemşire örnekleminde niteliğini ortaya koyacak daha fazla çalışmaya gereksinim duyulmaktadır.…”