Forms of Competitive Attitude and Achievement Orientation in Relation to Disordered Eating

The primary focus in this study was anexamination of the differential contributions of twodifferent forms of competitive attitude to disorderedeating in a nonclinical sample of Caucasian universitywomen. The results showed that it is not competitionper se that is a primary contributor to eatingdisorders, but rather a particular form of competitiveattitude. Specifically, hypercompetitiveness was related strongly to eating disorder symptoms, butpersonal development competitiveness was unrelated. Asecond purpose considered the relationship ofcontext-specific measures of achievement to eatingdisorder symptoms. Disordered eating was associatedpositively with the need to achieve in appearance, butnot to a need to achieve in academics and career.Discussion centered on the potential usefulness of these findings in the treatment of women who areeating disordered. It also argued for changes in asocialization process which often leads to thedevelopment of hypercompetitive attitudes and anovervaluing of beauty in American women.