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An Analysis of Specific Life Satisfaction Domains and Disordered Eating among College Students

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Abstract

Research has revealed that overall life satisfaction (LS) is negatively related to disordered eating. This study examined whether specific LS domains (e.g., family, friends, etc.) were more strongly associated with eating behaviors/weight perceptions (e.g., exercising to lose weight, using laxatives to lose weight, etc.) in 723 randomly selected college students analyzed separately by gender. Data were analyzed using logistic and multiple regression procedures. Results supported the hypotheses in the expected directions. College students’ weight perceptions had the strongest relationships with Satisfaction with Self and Satisfaction with Physical Appearance, and these relationships were stronger among females than males. Worrying about weight, self-described weight, and binge eating were significantly correlated with all LS domains (p < .05). Results suggest potential contributions of differentiating among the domains of LS in efforts to understand disordered eating among males and female college students. Implications for practice are discussed briefly.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA

    Molly Matthews & Keith J. Zullig

  2. Miami University, Oxford, OH, USA

    Rose Marie Ward & Thelma Horn

  3. University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA

    E. Scott Huebner

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  1. Molly Matthews
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  2. Keith J. Zullig
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Correspondence to Molly Matthews.

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Matthews, M., Zullig, K.J., Ward, R.M. et al. An Analysis of Specific Life Satisfaction Domains and Disordered Eating among College Students. Soc Indic Res 107, 55–69 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-011-9826-5

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