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The purposes of the present study were to compare selected psycho-behavioral characteristics between Australian adolescent-aged ballet dancers and non-dancers linked to disordered eating patterns, and to determine selected psychological characteristics that most likely predisposed ballet dancers at risk for developing these patterns. Three predisposing characteristics were identified, the type and frequency of weight control behaviors used by dancers, the association between the dancers' concerns about their diet and weight, and evidence of psychological disturbance among the dancers commonly found among eating disordered patients. A significant MANOVA and subsequent univariate analyses indicated that ballet dancers were more at risk for developing eating disorders than non-dancers, and that dancers demonstrated greater weight preoccupation, body dissatisfaction, and perfectionism than non-dancers. As opposed to non-dancers, dancers scored markedly higher for perfectionism, less body satisfaction, and a desire for thinness. Dancers showed psychopathology common among women with disordered eating patterns. Additional research is needed examining the antecedents of these characteristics among dancers and the effectiveness of interventions that help prevent disordered eating patterns.
Disordered eating may be defined on a continuum from eating disorders (e.g., anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa) to preoccupations with weight and restrictive eating (Wein & Micheli, 2002). However, there are several differences between disordered eating and eating disorders. For example, while a disordered eating pattern is a habitual reaction to life situations, an eating disorder is a mental illness (American Psychiatric Association, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 4th ed., 1987). In addition, disordered eating is not usually accompanied by frequent thoughts of food, eating, and one's physical appearance. Persons with eating disorders, on the other hand, have compulsive thoughts of food, eating, and one's body. While disordered eating may lead to transient weight changes and nutritional problems, major medical complications are very rare. Eating disorders, by contrast, often lead to serious medical problems, with a mortality rate of 2-10% (Comer, 2001). Finally, each condition is treated differently. Disordered eating requires education and the problem may diminish without treatment. Eating disorders, however, require specific medical and mental health treatment, without which the problem will persist. These differences are relevant because there exists far more published research exists examining eating disorders than disordered eating among ballet participants. This study addressed both eating disorders and disordered eating patterns, including their...