The Development of Eating Disorders in College-Aged Students: The Role of Motivation and Eating Abnormalities

Abstract

Precursors for eating disorders have been studied extensively throughout the past 30 years. Known precursors are widely varied and can usually be tested via questionnaire. The present exploratory study sought to analyze the correlation between motivational styles of eating (using the “Motivations to Eat†survey) and disordered eating (using the Million Behavioral Medicine Diagnostic) in college-aged students (N=85). Statistically significant data suggests the motivational styles of eating of coping and compliance could be precursors to eating disorders. These findings, however, were limited by the lack specificity of the diagnostic category for disordered eating in the Million Behavioral Medicine Diagnostic.

Keywords: eating disorders, college students, motivational styles of eating