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Subjective Well-Being in a Sample of Women with Eating Disorders

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ABSTRACT

Introduction

The literature has found that eating disorder patients usually have a depression and anxiety diagnosis. However, not many investigations have studied the relationship between eating disorders and subjective well-being. For this reason, in this study we analyzed if women with an eating disorder diagnosis have less subjective well-being than a control group (normal weight participants).

Method

One hundred and four participants (35 with anorexia nervosa, 28 with bulimia nervosa, 16 with eating disorder not otherwise specified and 25 controls) were selected to conduct the study.

Results

It was found that women with eating disorders reported less satisfaction with life and positive affect than the control group, but there were not statically significant differences in negative affect.

Discussion

According to the results, it can be concluded that reports of subjective well-being problems were much more common in participants with eating disorders than in the control group (female individuals without body dissatisfaction).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychology, Social Psychology Department, Universidad Nacional de Educacion a Distancia (UNED), C/ Juan del Rosal, 10, 28040, Madrid, Spain

    Alejandro Magallares

  2. School of Experimental Sciences, Nutrition and Bromatology, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Sevilla, Spain

    Ignacio Jauregui-Lobera

  3. Behavioral Sciences Institute, Sevilla, Spain

    Nieves Gamiz-Jimenez

  4. School of Psychology, Personality Department, Universidad Nacional de Educacion a Distancia (UNED), Madrid, Spain

    Miguel Angel Santed

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  1. Alejandro Magallares
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  2. Ignacio Jauregui-Lobera
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  3. Nieves Gamiz-Jimenez
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  4. Miguel Angel Santed
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Correspondence to Alejandro Magallares.

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Magallares, A., Jauregui-Lobera, I., Gamiz-Jimenez, N. et al. Subjective Well-Being in a Sample of Women with Eating Disorders. Psychol Rec 64, 769–776 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40732-014-0043-x

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