| Abstract [eng] |
Adverse childhood experiences are often prevalent among individuals with various eating disorders. These experiences may not necessarily be traumatic, but they increase the risk of mental disorders such as eating disorders. Adverse childhood experiences are associated with shame and lower levels of mentalization, yet their interrelationships are still underexplored. The aim of this study is to investigate the associations between eating disorders, mentalization, adverse childhood experiences, and shame among groups of women with normal eating behavior, disordered eating, and eating disorders. The study involved 470 women aged 18 to 66 years who were surveyed electronically. The following instruments were used: Eating Disorders Examination Questionnaire (Fairburn & Beglin, 2008), Mentalization Scale (Dimitrijević et al., 2018), Brief Emotional Mentalization Scale (Greenberg et al., 2021), Adverse Childhood Experience Questionnaire (Dube et al., 2001), and Experience of Shame Scale (Andrews et al., 2002). The main results revealed that adverse childhood experiences mediated through shame and self-directed mentalization abilities predict eating psychopathology issues. This study can serve as a basis for further research and contribute to the assistance provided to women facing eating problems. |
