1. IntroductionAccording to the Self-determination theory, when basic psychological needs are

chronically thwarted, it can lead to the development of substitutional needs or

compensatory behavior, such as body dissatisfaction and unhealthy weight control

(Vansteenkiste & Ryan, 2013; Deci & Ryan, 2000). A limited number of studies has

addressed this issue. Further research is necessary to uncover whether theseassociations function among non-clinical sample and among both sexes.

5. ConclusionsHigher BPNS has been found to be related to lower body dissatisfaction. Moreover, it may

decrease UWC and Risk of ED. In comparison to previous findings (Thøgersen-Ntoumani et al.,

2010; Thøgersen-Ntoumani et al., 2011), our results provide a more comprehensive model of

disordered eating which emphasizes protective role of basic psychological needs among both

females and males. Prevention strategies aimed at decreasing body dissatisfaction and

disordered eating may benefit from the inclusion of psychological needs satisfaction.

ReferencesAmerican Psychiatric Association. (2010). Promoting Healthy Behaviors to Prevent Obesity and Unhealthy Weight Control in Our Youth. Retreived 12.5.2014, fromhttp://www.apa.org/pi/families/resources/prevent-obesity.aspxDeci, E. L. & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The 'What' and 'Why' of Goal Pursuits: Human Needs and the Self-Determination of Behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11(4), 227.

Garner, D. M., Olmsted, M. P., Bohr, Y., & Garfinkel, P. E. (1982). The eating attitudes test: psychometric features and clinical correlates. Psychological Medicine, 12(4), 871-878López-Guimerà, G., Neumark-Sztainer, D., Hannan, P., Fauquet, J., Loth, K., & Sánchez-Carracedo, D. (2013). Unhealthy Weight-control Behaviours, Dieting and Weight Status: A Cross-culturalComparison between North American and Spanish Adolescents. European Eating Disorders Review, 21(4), 276-283.Morgan, J., Reid, F., & Lacey, J. (1999). The SCOFF questionnaire: assessment of a new screening tool for eating disorders. BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.), 319(7223), 1467-1468.Pingitore, R., Garfield, D., & Spring, B. (1997). Gender differences in body satisfaction. Obesity Research, 5(5), 402-409.Sheldon, K. & Hilpert, J. (2012). The balanced measure of psychological needs (BMPN) scale: An alternative domain general measure of need satisfaction. Motivation & Emotion, 36(4), 439-451.Thompson, M. A. & Gray, J. J. (1995). Development and Validation of a New Body-Image Assessment Scale. Journal Of Personality Assessment, 64(2), 258-269.Thøgersen-Ntoumani, C., Ntoumanis, N., Cumming, J., & Chatzisarantis, N. (2011). When feeling attractive matters too much to women: A process underpinning the relation betweenpsychological need satisfaction and unhealthy weight control behaviors. Motivation & Emotion, 35(4), 413-422.Thøgersen-Ntoumani, C., Ntoumanis, N., & Nikitaras, N. (2010). Unhealthy weight control behaviours in adolescent girls: a process model based on self-determination theory. Psychology &Health, 25(5), 535-550.Vansteenkiste, M. & Ryan, R.M. (2013). On psychological growth and vulnerability: Basic psychological need satisfaction and need frustration as a unifying principle. Journal of PsychotherapyIntegration, 23(3), 263-280.

3. MethodsSample: 302 Slovak university students (52.3% females; mean age=21) Statistical analyses: Structural equation modeling in Amos 20Measures

9 – 14 November

2016,

Vienna, Austria

2. AimThis study aims to create a modelexplaining the risk of eatingdisorders by body dissatisfactionand unhealthy weight control whileconsidering the role of basicpsychological needs satisfaction.

4. ResultsTable 1. Descriptive statistics of body dissatisfaction, psychological needs satisfaction and eating disturbances

Note. 1 Results of T-test; 2Result of Mann Whitney U-Test; significant gender differences are in bold

Figure 1. Path diagram for the model among females (N=154) and males (N=142)Note. Standardized regression coefficients are displayed (females/males); BSZD=Body size dissatisfaction; BSD=body shapedissatisfaction; BPNS=basis pychological needs satisfaction; UWC=unhealthy weight control; ED=eating disorders;SCOFF=indicators of ED; EAT=attitudes toward eating

The role of basic psychological needs in the risk of eating disorders among university studentsLucia Hricová, Jozef Benka, Oľga Orosová

Pavol Jozef Safarik University in Košice, Faculty of Arts, Department of Educational Psychology and Health Psychology, Slovak Republic,

Significant direct association between:1. BPNS and body dissatisfaction (p=.01), 2. Body dissatisfaction and Risk of ED (females:

p<.001; males: p=.01)Indirect association between:1. BPNS and UWC (females: p=.001; males:

p=.04) through BD,2. BPNS and Risk of ED (females: p=.003; males:

p=.01)

The tested model (Figure 1) fitted the data well (χ2=28.85,

Df=14, p<.05 SRMR=.06, CFI=.96,

RMSEA=.06) and explained 50% of variance of Risk of ED among females and 83% among males. The model was statistically equivalent for both sexes (p>.01, ΔCFI ˂.01).

Table 1 presentsdescriptives of variables used in a model for bothsexes. Femaleswere more dissatisfied withtheir bodies and scored higher invariables reflecting eating disturbancescomparing to men. Nosignificant gender differences in basic psychological needs satisfactionappeared.

Contour Drawing Rating Scale (Thompson &Gray, 1995)- 9 drawings of a female/male figure increasing in

size from extremely thin (1) to very obese (9)- participants separately rated their ideal and

perceived figure and the discrepancy betweenthese figures provided index of body sizedissatisfaction

The Body Shape Satisfaction Questionnaire(Pingitore, Garfield, & Spring, 1997)⁻ participants indicated their degree of satisfaction

with 10 body parts or attributes on a 5-pointresponse scale ranging from 1 (very satisfied) to5 (very dissatisfied)

⁻ Cronbach’s alpha of .86

The Balanced Measure of Psychological Needs(Sheldon & Hilpert, 2012)- respondents indicated the extent to which they

agree with statements about basic psychologicalneeds (autonomy, relatedness and competence)satisfaction on a scale from 1 (no agreement) to 5(much agreement)

- Cronbach’s alpha of .83

Eating Attitude Test (Garner et al., 1982)⁻ 26 questions about attitudes, feelings and

behaviors associated with eating disorderssymptoms answered on a 6-point scale fromalways (6) to never (1)

⁻ Cronbach’s alpha of .86

SCOFF (Morgan, Reid, & Lacey, 1999)⁻ 5 items screening tool for detecting the risk of

eating disorders (anorexia/bulimia)⁻ answers yes/no, positive answers were summed

to provide a total score of present indicators

Frequency of UWC (López-Guimerà et al., 2013,APA 2010)⁻ Respondents were asked how often during the

last year they engaged in 9 different types ofunhealthy weight control strategies on 5-pointscale ranging from 1 (never) to 5 (always)

⁻ Cronbach’s alpha of .79

Females Malest Df pMean SD Mean SD

Body shape dissatisfaction 26.47 6.35 23.60 6.23 3.79 276 <.0011

Body size dissatisfaction 1.29 1.04 .81 .83 4.37 280.06 <.0011

Basic psychological needs satisfaction 59.81 9.75 60.13 8.19 -.29 271 .771

Attitudes to eating 53.02 14.60 49.77 14.65 2.18 277 <.051

Mean Rank N Mean Rank n U Z PEating disorders indicators 154.66 152 136.53 139 9247.50 -2.01 <.052

Unhealthy weight control 155.2 150 134 139 8895.50 -2.19 <.052

-.29/-.36

.42/.19

AcknowledgmentsThis work was supported by the scientific grant agency of the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic

and of Slovak Academy of Sciences under contract no. VEGA 1/0713/15 and by the Slovak Research and Development Agency under the

contract no. APVV-0253-11 and APVV-15-0662.

Address for correspondence: Mgr. Lucia Hricová, PhD.

PJ Šafárik University in Košice,

Šrobárova 2, 041 80 Košice, Slovakia

Email: lucia.hricova@upjs.sk

• Higher score in scales indicates higher body dissatisfaction, psychological needs satisfaction and eating disturbances