Parental bonding and bulimic psychopathology: the mediating role of mistrust/abuse beliefs

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the previously reported relationship between parental bonding and bulimic psychopathology is mediated by the development of unhealthy core beliefs. METHOD: One hundred and two nonclinical women completed the Parental Bonding Instrument, the short form of the Young Schema Questionnaire, and the Bulimic Investigatory Test, Edinburgh. RESULTS: Mistrust/abuse beliefs were found to be a partial mediator in the relationship between paternal overprotection and the severity of bulimic attitudes. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that the development of mistrust/abuse beliefs is important in determining the effect that paternal overprotection has on bulimic attitudes.