Clearly there are many problems with the design of this study as well as its conclusions. One additional observation I wish to make is the amazing number of potential problems with retrospective studies versus the prospective research design. It's clear why researchers opt for retrospective research but this design depends on accuracy of memory, which Loftus, et.al. have shown us are very unreliable. And then there's always the obvious "is it the chicken or the egg" debate. I strongly feel that the data from retrospective studies should always be viewed as tentative and that prospective research on the same topic--whether it's factors that contribute to schizophrenia, sexual orientation, low-self esteem, etc., should then always be conducted to see if the data studies support or dispute the findings of the retrospective research. Eg. Jack Block's longitudinal study of folks from birth on wards has determined that if children of divorced parents have problems after the divorce, they also were having problems before the divorce. Hence, it seems very possible that it's not the divorce, per se, that's causing problems (as retrospective studies keep insisting) but other factors, such as conflict within the family, low family cohesion, or that the troublesome behaviors of the children cause stressful and divisive marital relationships.
Joan Joan Warmbold Boggs Professor of Psychology [EMAIL PROTECTED] > OBJECTIVE. Our purpose with this work was to examine the relationship > between negative comments about weight, shape, and eating and social > adjustment, social support, self-esteem, and perceived childhood abuse and > neglect. > > METHODS. A retrospective study was conducted with 455 college women with > high weight and shape concerns, who participated in an Internet-based > eating > disorder prevention program. Baseline assessments included: perceived > family > negative comments about weight, shape, and eating; social adjustment; > social > support; self-esteem; and childhood abuse and neglect. Participants > identified 1 of 7 figures representing their maximum body size before age > 18 > and parental maximum body size. > > > CONCLUSIONS. In college women with high weight and shape concerns, > retrospective reports of negative comments about weight, shape, and eating > were associated with higher scores on subscales of emotional abuse and > neglect. This study provides additional evidence that family criticism > results in long-lasting, negative effects. > > ************************************ > One wonders what would have been found if males had been > included in the study. > > > --- To make changes to your subscription go to: http://acsun.frostburg.edu/cgi-bin/lyris.pl?enter=tips&text_mode=0&lang=english
