| dc.description.abstract | Because eating disorders and body dissatisfaction are significant problems in
adolescence, it is important to study the sociocultural influences that may be associated
with these attitudes and behaviors. Researchers have been thorough in studying maternal
influences on adolescents' disordered eating attitudes and behaviors; however, fathers have
not been examined in sufficient detail as to their potential influence on the development of
such issues. This study explored the role fathers play in the development of disordered
eating attitudes and behaviors among middle-school aged boys and girls. In particular, this
study sought to find out how fathers' own dieting behaviors, teasing behaviors, feedback
regarding weight, and encouragement to lose weight (e.g., actively promoting weight loss
or persuasion to lose weight, regardless of whether or not the adolescent was at a healthy
body weight) affected disordered eating in adolescent males and females.
Self-report questionnaires were collected from 62 girls and 63 boys, who were in
seventh to ninth grades. We used independent sample t-tests to examine gender
differences, Pearson correlations to examine associations among fathers' behaviors and
adolescents' disordered eating, and multiple regression analyses to examine which father
behaviors most influenced adolescents' disordered eating. Although boys received slightly
more encouragement to lose weight and feedback about appearance from fathers, and girls
reported slightly more teasing and father engagement in dieting behaviors, none of these
differences were statistically significant. Fathers' encouragement to lose weight was
significantly related to both females' and males' disordered eating. Fathers' feedback about weight was significantly related to females' disordered eating, whereas teasing
behaviors were significantly related to males' disordered eating. Both girls and boys were
most influenced by fathers' encouragement to lose weight, when compared to other
paternal behaviors. It is vital that fathers are included in the discussion, education, and
research surrounding adolescents' disordered eating attitudes and behaviors. As suggested
in this study, it is essential for researchers, clinicians, and educators to be aware of fathers'
influence on adolescents' disordered eating attitudes and behaviors. By discussing the vital
role that fathers play in their adolescents' lives, more open communication and knowledge
can be uncovered to allow for future efforts in preventing disordered eating attitudes and
behaviors in adolescents. | en_US |
