Negative family climate as a risk factor among adolescent girls with eating problems

Abstract

The article investigates the relationships between negative family climate and eating behaviour among adolescent girls, the influence of negative family climate upon body image and personality at adolescents with eating disorders. The research was conducted on a sample of 250 adolescent girls aged between 14 and 19, using a set of validated instruments: the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) for screening eating disorders, the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ-18), the Family Climate Questionnaire (FCQ), the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire – Appearance Scales (MBSRQ-AS), the GAD-7 Scale for anxiety assessment and the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (FMPS). The results indicated significant positive correlations between negative family climate and the possibility of the presence of eating behaviour disorders (emotional eating, uncontrolled eating and cognitive restraint). These findings highlight that a dysfunctional family environment can be a major psychological risk factor for adolescent girls with eating disorders negatively influencing their body image and personality. The study emphasizes the importance of psychological interventions and family involvement in promoting a positive climate, with the goal of preventing emotional and behavioural difficulties during adolescence.