Core beliefs in dieters and eating disordered women

OBJECTIVE: The current study aimed to investigate the difference in the levels of core beliefs between eating disordered women and those who showed milder forms of symptomatology. METHODS: Thirty-five eating disordered women, 16 symptomatic dieters, 39 normal dieters and 34 non-clinical comparison women completed questionnaires measuring eating symptomatology (Eating Disorders Inventory [EDI]), core beliefs (Young Schema Questionnaire [YSQ]), depression (The Beck Depression Inventory-II [BDI-II]) and self-esteem (Rosenberg Self-Esteem Inventory [RSE]). RESULTS: With the exception of Entitlement beliefs, there were significant differences in the levels of core beliefs across all four groups. In particular, symptomatic dieters and eating disordered women differed on 8 YSQ subscales despite showing very similar level of eating symptomatology. DISCUSSION: The current findings lend support to the discontinuity model that suggests that there are fundamental differences between women with a clinical eating disorder and those with milder eating psychopathology. The clinical and research implications of the present results were discussed.