Codependency as a mediator between stressful events and eating disorders.

This study examined the role of codependency in the relationship between stressful events and the development of eating disorders. Ninety-five undergraduate women completed the Codependency Assessment, the Eating Disorder Inventory-2, the Differentiation of Self Scale, and an open-ended questionnaire asking about stressful experiences, including relationships with alcoholic family members. Results supported the hypothesis that women who reported experience with an alcoholic significant other or a chronic stressful situation exhibited higher levels of eating disordered behavior. However, a family history of parental alcohol abuse alone did not result in differences in eating disorder symptoms. Further, women who exhibited more characteristics of codependency (e.g., caretaking, needs for control) also evidenced more eating disorder symptoms. The findings suggest a developmental sequence, whereby codependency mediates the relationship between excessive stress and the development of an eating disorder.