Silencing the self and suppressed anger: relationship to eating disorder symptoms in adolescent females

Abstract

Abstract Objective: This study examined the extent to which inhibited expression of negative feelings and an interpersonal style that focuses on others' needs and expectations are related to eating disorder symptoms in adolescent females. Method: Female high school adolescents ( N = 235) completed the Anger Expression Scale, the Silencing the Self Scale, and measures of eating disorder symptoms, self‐esteem, and psychological adjustment. Results: Adolescents with higher eating disorder symptom scores had significantly higher levels of anger inhibition and silencing the self scores. In regression analyses, the Silencing the Self and Anger Expression Scales contributed statistically significant unique variance to cognitive and behavioural eating disorder symptoms scores after controlling for shape‐ and weight‐based self‐esteem. A similar, though weaker, pattern of results was found after controlling for global self‐esteem. Discussion: These results partially replicate relationships found between inhibited self‐expression and eating disorder symptoms in adult clinical samples. Implications for the development of eating disorder symptoms are addressed. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.