Abstract
Health in adult life has been associated with health during early and late adolescence. Investigations here also show that a number of factors such as family environment, sociocultural norms, stress and self perception can affect one's health at any age. As the prevalence of eating disorders has increased among women and especially among female adolescents, this study set out to look at the role of factors which are influential in the onset and maintenance of eating problems among normal weight adolescents who have high scores on the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI). These adolescents reported symptoms of atypical and abnormal eating habits, even though they did not have a history of chronic eating disorders or weight problems. A six months longitudinal study was conducted with pupils of four age groups (third to sixth formers) divided into two groups of high EDI scorers and low EDI scorers. They were assessed on three occasions at three month intervals. A battery of eight instruments was employed, assessing the role of family members and environment, relationship with significant others such as peers and friends; and sociocultural norms on the type and intensity of stress experienced by the adolescents. How stress affects their self perception and self-esteem, as well as their perception and appraisal of stressors was also assessed in relation to their eventual effects on the adolescents' eating patterns. Overall the results showed that the adolescents who showed high EDI scores, initially, were considerably different from those with low EDI scores in their self-esteem level, level of stress they experienced, the coping strategies they employed, their family environment, their perception of themselves and their ideal self, as well as of significant others. Based on the findings and previous literature, a model is proposed, arguing that conflicts and discords arose in the family environment or in the adolescents' relationships with others; or caused by sociocultural factors can lead to stress which in turn can affect the adolescents' self-esteem and self perception. The way the adolescents perceive themselves can influence their perception and appraisal of potential stressors and hence their choice of strategies to cope with them, one of which is manipulating eating habits, such as overeating. The results of the findings, implications, methodological and limitations and suggestions for future research are also discussed.