Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, 2024, Clinical Psychology (Arts and Sciences)

College students in the United States report elevated rates of food insecurity, an experience that is longitudinally associated with disordered eating behaviors, including binge eating. Intuitive eating has emerged as an adaptive eating style that is potentially protective against binge eating and is characterized by reliance on one's internal cues for hunger and fullness, predominantly eating for such physical reasons, and flexibility within eating-related decisions. Emerging work suggests that individuals experiencing food insecurity demonstrate less intuitive eating, and it remains unclear whether engagement in intuitive eating functions as a protective factor, weakening the link between food insecurity and binge eating. The current thesis aimed to replicate previous findings of associations between binge eating and food insecurity and relevant domains of intuitive eating (e.g., reliance on hunger and satiety cues and eating for physical rather than emotional reasons) and evaluate whether intuitive eating moderated the association between food insecurity severity and binge eating. Data were collected from 493 college students between the ages of 18 and 25 (mean (SD) age=19.56 (1.43) years; 79.5% female; 90.1% white). Bivariate analyses found a significant positive correlation between food insecurity severity and binge eating and a significant negative association between intuitive eating domains and binge eating. Contrary to hypotheses, multiple regression analyses revealed that no significant interactive effect existed between the food insecurity and intuitive eating domains. With the inclusion of intuitive eating domains in the models, food insecurity severity was no longer associated with binge eating. This study is the first to leverage a continuous, severity-based approach to measuring food insecurity and contributes to the growing body of literature examining associations between food insecurity and eating behaviors. The present findings suggest that intuit (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: K. Jean Forney (Advisor); Stephen Scanlan (Committee Member); Peggy Zoccola (Committee Member) Subjects: Clinical Psychology; Psychology

Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, 2018, Clinical Psychology (Arts and Sciences)

Disordered eating behaviors, including binge eating, food restriction, self-induced vomiting, and laxative use are prevalent within undergraduate male and female students. Problematic alcohol use and related issues, including binge drinking and alcohol-related consequences, are also widespread and these two issues are often comorbid. The unique combination of these behaviors, termed alcohol-related compensatory behaviors (ARCB), has recently come to the attention of researchers. ARCB involve compensatory behaviors performed in response to or in preparation for alcohol use in order to counteract calories consumed from alcohol or to increase intoxication. However, research regarding ARCB is sparse. Specifically, there is a lack of knowledge concerning psychological correlates that may help to explain these behaviors and a lack of consensus regarding potential sex differences in ARCB. Emotion dysregulation is a transdiagnostic psychological correlate implicated in a multitude of psychopathology, including disordered eating and alcohol use. Therefore, the present thesis used a cross-sectional design to examine the association between emotion dysregulation and ARCB in a sample of male and female undergraduate students (N = 417). Further, sex differences in ARCB and in the association between emotion dysregulation and ARCB were also examined. While ARCB were positively associated with emotion dysregulation at the bivariate level, emotion dysregulation was not a correlate of ARCB after accounting for alcohol use and problems, disordered eating, and BMI. Finally, there were no sex differences in ARCB and the association between emotion dysregulation and ARCB did not vary among males and females. Findings provide the first study on emotion dysregulation and ARCB, and additional knowledge regarding psychological correlates of ARCB and their temporal relationship to these risky behaviors is needed.

Committee: Ryan Shorey Ph.D (Advisor); Sarah Racine Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Psychology

MS, Kent State University, 2014, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Health Sciences

This study investigated self-reported weight changes in 358 Kent State University freshmen college students throughout their first year of college. Data regarding diet, exercise, sleep, and stress and their relationship to freshmen weight changes were also collected. An online questionnaire developed by the researcher was used to test the three hypotheses that there would be a difference in weight changes for freshmen based on residential status (1), a difference based on gender (2), and that there would be a relationship between weight changes and diet, exercise, sleep, and stress (3). Additionally, the EAT-26 survey was used to gather information about eating attitudes and disordered eating behaviors to determine the number of participants who were at risk for disordered eating behaviors. Participants gained an average of 3.69 lbs. between the beginning and end of freshman year. No significance was found for weight changes based on gender (p = 0.147) or residential status (p = 0.139). Changes in diet quality, sleep, and stress levels may have attributed to the weight gain observed in participants. Results of the EAT-26 survey indicated that 17% (n = 61) of respondents were “at risk for an eating disorder,” with the majority being female.

Committee: Karen Gordon (Advisor); Natalie Caine-Bish (Committee Member); Tanya Falcone (Committee Member) Subjects: Nutrition

MS, University of Cincinnati, 2011, Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services: Health Education

The purpose of this study was to examine university students' perceived importance of knowledge of eating disorders, overall confidence in appropriately intervening with a friend who has an eating disorder and whether their perceived importance of knowledge and confidence levels differed based on sex, current involvement in disordered eating and extent of social connections. This study sought to fill current gaps in the literature regarding disordered eating. This information is important to strengthen future educational efforts related to the identification and acknowledgement of eating disorders with friends and family. A total of 421 participants were surveyed during the spring 2010 quarter at a Midwest university. The sample included students from a variety of courses. Valid and reliable subscales were developed for the 86-item questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, multivariate analysis of variance, Chi-square analysis, and Pearson correlations were used to analyze the data. Results indicated participants' confidence addressing disordered eating in their friends was moderate. Further, participants felt having knowledge about disordered eating was important and that disordered eating is a significant issue on college campuses. Both importance of having information and confidence addressing disordered eating differed significantly based on sex. Females felt this issue was of greater importance, in addition to expressing more confidence addressing the issue. Recommendations have been included for future studies.

Committee: Keith King PhD (Committee Chair); Rebecca Vidourek PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Health Education