Eating disorder symptoms and gender identity characteristics

Context and relevance. The inconsistency of empirical findings regarding the relationship between masculinity, femininity, and eating disorder symptoms indicates the need for a more comprehensive analysis of gender-related factors. Particular importance is placed on considering individuals’ subjective attitudes toward their own gender identity, its significance for self-definition. Objective. To examine the relationships between the levels of masculinity and femininity, gender self-definition, gender self-acceptance, and eating disorder symptoms in young women. Methods and materials. The study included 242 women aged 18 to 28 years (M = 20.61, SD = 2.54), 32% of whom reported having a diagnosed eating disorder. The likelihood of eating disorder symptoms was assessed using the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) and the Eating Disorder Inventory. Gender-related characteristics were measured using the Multifaceted Gender-Related Attributes Survey (GERAS), the Hoffman Gender Scale, and the Masculinity, Femininity, and Gender Type Inventory. Results. Women with a diagnosed eating disorder showed higher levels of several eating disorder symptoms, while among gender-related characteristics, between-group differences were found only for masculinity, which was higher in the diagnosed group. Gender self-definition was positively, and gender self-acceptance was negatively associated with the severity of eating disorder symptoms. The highest risk was observed in women with high gender self-definition and low gender self-acceptance. Conclusions. Individuals’ subjective attitudes toward their own gender identity constitute a significant factor in eating disorder symptoms: gender self-acceptance is associated with lower risk, whereas high gender self-definition combined with low self-acceptance is associated with an increased risk.

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