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Eating Disorders And Menarche: Can Emotions Toward The First Period Provide Insight Into Future Eating Disorder Development?, Tara Beck, Alison Mancuso, Joanna Petrides

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Faculty Scholarship

Objective: There is much ambiguity regarding Eating Disorder (ED) diagnosis, including when a patient actually develops the disease. Many studies have focused on behaviors during late adolescence as a crucial time for ED development, but few have focused on menarche. This study seeks to identify possible behavioral traits during menarche, including emotion toward the first period, which can be used as a warning sign for future ED development. Method: An anonymous online survey was distributed to approximately 1000 female students and faculty at Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine and 100 females on an ED Recovery Facebook group. The survey …