Research Article

Disordered eating behaviours and basic psychological need satisfaction: the mediating role of anxiety symptoms in preadolescents

Published in: Journal of Child & Adolescent Mental Health
Volume 34 , issue 1-3 , 2022 , pages: 42–52

DOI: 10.2989/17280583.2023.2277763

Author(s): Tess E Marshall School of Psychology, Cardiff University, UK , Kai S Thomas School of Psychology, Cardiff University, UK , Netta Weinstein School of Psychology, Cardiff University, UK , Ross E Vanderwert School of Psychology, Cardiff University, UK

Keywords: anxiety , disordered eating , eating disorders , preadolescence , self-determination theory

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Abstract

Objective: According to self-determination theory, satisfied basic psychological needs can be a protective factor for psychopathology, including eating disorders and anxiety symptomatology. However, most research has focused on adolescent and adult populations, with less work examining perceived basic psychological need satisfaction from parents in younger samples who report anxiety and disordered eating. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate whether basic psychological need satisfaction from parents was associated with disordered eating in preadolescents and whether anxiety mediated this relation.

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