The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between eating disorders, physical symptoms, depression and health locus of control.

The research design was a descriptive study done by using a constructive self-report questionnaire. A total of 464 elementary school girls were measured. The instrument was a constructive questionnaire that consisted 136 items. The subjects were divided into 4 groups according to the Body Mass Index (BMI). Data analysis was done by SPSS/WIN Programs using frequency, percentage, mean, SD, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient, and stepwise multiple regression.

The score of eating disorders differed significantly by BMI : the score was highest in the group of obese students(F=4.208, P=.015). Stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that the most powerful predictor of eating disorders was BMI.

These results indicate that Korean elementary school girls need more education and counseling on diet. Also, we should take systematic efforts to reestablish the social standard of beauty to promote normal growth development.

The purpose of this study was to develop the day hospital program for Korean eating disorders patients and to examine the effect of the day hospital program on improving frequency of binging and purging, eating disorders symptoms, self-esteem, and depression.

The subjects were 24 binge eaters visited at eating disorders clinic “M”. They participated in a modified day hospital program based on the Toronto Day Hospital Program. All subjects completed the Eating Disorders Inventory(EDI)-2, Rosenberg Self-Eesteem Scale, Beck Depression Inventory(BDI) at pre and post intervention, and recorded daily food records.

In paired t-test analysis, frequency of binging and purging, self-esteem, depression, and 11 sub-scales of EDI-2(drive for thinness, bulimia, body dissatisfaction, ineffectiveness, interoceptive awareness, perfectionism, interpersonal distrust, maturity fear, asceticism, impulse regulation, social insecurity) were significantly improved after treatment.

The results of this study suggest that the day hospital program for Korean eating disorders patients may be an effective initial approach to overcoming various eating disorders symptoms. Further studies should investigate longer term outcome data using a larger sample.

The aim of this study was to develop a Korean version of Night Eating Questionnaire (KNEQ) and test its psychometric properties and evaluate items according to item response theory.

The 14-item NEQ as a measure of severity of the night eating syndrome was translated into Korean, and then this KNEQ was evaluated. A total of 1171 participants aged 20 to 50 completed the KNEQ on the Internet. To test reliability and validity, Cronbach's alpha, correlation, simple regression, and factor analysis were used. Each item was analyzed according to Rasch-Andrich rating scale model and item difficulty, discrimination, infit/outfit, and point measure correlation were evaluated.

Construct validity was evident. Cronbach's alpha was .78. The items of evening hyperphagia and nocturnal ingestion showed high ability in discriminating people with night eating syndrome, while items of morning anorexia and mood/sleep provided relatively little information. The results of item analysis showed that item2 and item7 needed to be revised to improve the reliability of KNEQ.

KNEQ is an appropriate instrument to measure severity of night eating syndrome with good validity and reliability. However, further studies are needed to find cut-off scores to screen persons with night eating syndrome.

The purpose of the study was to investigate psychological factors such as eating psychopathology, depression, and obsessive-compulsion that might influence self-harm behavior in patients with eating disorders.

Patients with eating disorders (n=135) who visited "M" clinic for eating disorders participated in the study. Data were collected from March to August 2007 using the Eating Disorder Inventory-2, Beck Depression Inventory, Maudsley Obsessional-Compulsive Inventory, and Self-Harm Inventory (SHI).

The participants scored high on self-harm as well as on depression and obsessive-compulsion. On the SHI, a high frequency of self harm behavior such as 'torturing self with self-defeating thoughts', 'abused alcohol', 'hit self', and 'suicide attempt' were found for the participants. There were significant correlations between most eating psychopathology variables, depression, obsessive-compulsion, and self-harm behavior. 'Interoceptive awareness' (eating psychopathology), depression, and 'checking' (obsessive-compulsion) were significant predictors of self-harm behavior.

Future interventions for patients with eating disorders should focus on assessing the possibility of self-harm and suicidal attempts, especially in those patients with high levels of eating psychopathology, depression, or obsessive-compulsion. Early intervention for depression and obsessive-compulsion could contribute to preventing self-harm and suicide in patients with eating disorders.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between eating disorders and parent-adolescent communication in middle school students.

There were 267 adolescents taken as participants from two middle schools in rural areas. Data were collected from June to July 2005, using the Eating Disorder Inventory-2 questionnaire (23 items) and Parent-Adolescent Communication Inventory (10 items for open family communication, 10 items for problem in family communication). The SPSS Win version 12.0 was used for descriptive analysis, t-test, and partial correlation coefficient.

The mean score on the eating disorder was 2.74 (range: 1-6). Meanwhile, the mean scores on the parentadolescent communication was 3.37 (range: 1-5). There were significant differences in eating disorders according to gender, age, negative perception of the participant's body weight, family's perception of obesity, diet experiences, and BMI. Eating disorders showed a significant negative correlation with parent-adolescent communication.

In this study, there was a significant negative correlation between eating disorders and parent-adolescent communication. In order to prevent an eating disorder, education and training to enhance communication skills should be provided to adolescents and their parents as well.