Objective: The present study aims to explore the potentially longitudinal bi-directional effects of disordered eating (DE) symptoms with depression and anxiety.
Method: Participants were 189 (49.5% male) adolescents from Melbourne, Australia. DE, depressive and anxiety symptoms were assessed at approximately 15, 16.5 and 18.5 years of age.
Results: Analysis of longitudinal bi-directional effects assessed via cross-lagged models indicated that DE symptoms of eating and shape/weight concerns were risk factors for anxiety. Results also showed that depression was a risk factor for eating concerns.
Conclusion: Our findings provide preliminary evidence that preventative measures designed to target concerns about eating and shape/weight might be most efficacious in reducing the transmission of effects between symptoms of DE, depression and anxiety. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.
Keywords: anxiety symptoms; depressive symptoms; disordered eating; longitudinal.
Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.