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Risk Factors Of Eating Disorders And The Modern Orthodox Jewish Family, Susan D. Schmool

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Eating Disorders (EDs) are characterized by maladaptive attitudes, beliefs, and/or behaviors related to eating. Maladaptive behaviors can include restrictive eating, bingeing, purging, excessive exercising, and use of diuretics. Research has identified several characteristics within individuals that can be considered risk factors for the development of EDs including perfectionism, low self-esteem, elevated BMIs, affluence, and stressful life events. Several of these characteristics are very common in the Modern Orthodox Jewish community. Modern Orthodox Jewish female adolescents are a very unique and at-risk population in society. This population has a prevalence of EDs that is 50% higher than the general population (Baruchin, …