TY  - JOUR
A1  - Cortes-Garcia, Laura
A1  - Hoffmann, Svenja
A1  - Warschburger, Petra
A1  - Senra, Carmen
T1  - Exploring the reciprocal relationships between adolescents' perceptions of parental and peer attachment and disordered eating
BT  - a multiwave cross-lagged panel analysis
JF  - International Journal of eating disorders
N2  - Objective This prospective study explored bidirectional associations between attachment quality towards mother, father, and peers and disordered eating among a large population-based sample of boys and girls in the transition from preadolescence to adolescence. Specifically, we examined whether insecure attachment relationships emerged as a risk factor for or as an outcome of disordered eating. Method A population-based sample of 904 adolescent girls and boys was assessed four times, at baseline (T1; M-age = 10.8 years) and at 2-, 4-, and 6-year follow-up (T2, T3, and T4). Prospective data were analyzed using cross-lagged panel models for each attachment figure (i.e., mother, father, peers) in a multigroup design to compare genders. Results Better attachment to the mother led to less pronounced disturbed eating in girls across the entire age range and in boys across two time periods. In girls, more pronounced disordered eating at T3 predicted worse attachment to the mother at T4 and better attachment to the father at T1 predicted less disturbed eating at T2. In boys, disordered eating at T1 predicted better attachment to the father at T2. Concerning peer attachment, better attachment at T1 predicted disordered eating at T2, in boys only. No other significant cross-lagged effects emerged. Discussion These findings highlight the differential and gender-specific contribution of attachment figures to the development of disordered eating in adolescence. Programs aimed at improving communication and trust in the relationship with parents might be promising in the prevention of disordered eating and the subsequent deterioration of parent-child attachment relationships.
KW  - adolescents
KW  - attachment
KW  - cross-lagged panel analysis
KW  - disordered eating
KW  - gender
Y1  - 2019
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.23086
SN  - 0276-3478
SN  - 1098-108X
VL  - 52
IS  - 8
SP  - 924
EP  - 934
PB  - Wiley
CY  - Hoboken
ER  -