The relationship between general parental controllingness and eating disorder symptomatology in mothers

This study examined the relationship between general parental controllingness, a core dimension of parenting styles, and eating disorder symptomatology in a convenience sample of 50 mothers. General parental controllingness was predicted to have a significant positive correlation with eating disorder symptomatology and dietary restraint. Although this relationship is speculated in the theoretical and clinical literature, very few empirical studies have been completed on the subject. The present study employed a secondary data analysis to investigate the relationship between general parental controllingness and eating disorder symptomatology in these mothers. Additionally, the study sought to assess whether the hypothesized relationships between general parental controllingness and eating disorder symptomatology were the same across ethnic groups. Findings indicated modest support for a significant positive relationship between these two variables. Moreover, analyses yielded significant differences across ethnic groups. Results were discussed in the context of the study's limitations and implications, with recommendations for future research.