Ritika Budhiraja and Waheeda Khan
Shree Guru Gobind Tricentenary University, Gurugram, Delhi-NCR
Pages :76-89
The objective of this study was to examine the psychological factors associated with
Binge Eating Disorder (BED) and Bulimia Nervosa (BN) in the National Capital Region
(NCR) of India. The study employed a cross-sectional and quantitative approach,
examining a sample of 190 individuals initially recruited from different clinics specializing
in treating eating disorders. The study utilized purposive sampling, explicitly focusing
on individuals who were 16 years of age or older and had been diagnosed with either
BED or BN. The study used various standardized instruments to assess critical
psychological factors. These included the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) for symptoms
related to eating disorders, the UPPS Impulsive Behaviour Scale to evaluate impulsivity,
the Contingency of Self-worth Scale (CSWS) to identify sources of self-worth, and the
Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire-Appearance Scale (MBSRQ-AQ)
to assess body image. The key findings emphasized the high occurrence of BED and
BN in the younger population (aged 16-25 years), thus indicating a strong correlation
with age. Socio-economic status also played a significant role, with a higher occurrence
among individuals from middle socio-economic backgrounds. The study discovered
relation between exercise patterns and eating disorders, indicating diverse functions of
physical activity in these conditions. An evident relation was found between family
history and the occurrence of BED and BN, suggesting possible genetic or environmental
influences. Furthermore, the study uncovered noteworthy psychological interactions,
such as the positive relationship between body image/appearance and self-worth and
the adverse direct relationship between impulsive behaviour and body image. These
findings are consistent with current global research patterns and highlight the intricate
psychological terrain of BED and BN. This study adds to the expanding corpus of
literature on eating disorders in the Indian context, emphasizing the necessity for
interventions that are culturally attuned and tailored to specific demographic groups.
Future research should incorporate longitudinal designs, diverse samples, and the
inclusion of comorbid psychiatric conditions to enhance the understanding of BED and
BN in India and other regions