Gender differences in direct and indirect associations of trauma types with disordered eating in a national U.S. veteran sample.

OBJECTIVE: Disordered eating (DE) in military veterans has been linked to trauma exposure, but the mechanisms underlying this association remain unclear. The current study documented the direct associations of DE with multiple trauma types in a gender-balanced sample of veterans and examined indirect associations of trauma and DE via self-reported PTSD symptoms and concerns about shape and weight. METHOD: Participants included 1,187 veterans (50% women, 46% men, 4% another) from multiple service eras. Sampling weights were applied to enhance representativeness to the national veteran population. RESULTS: Gender-stratified, weighted models revealed associations of premilitary, warfare, and postseparation trauma with DE in men and associations of premilitary, military sexual (MST), and postseparation trauma with DE in women. Monte Carlo estimation of indirect effects showed support for indirect associations of premilitary, warfare, and postseparation-related trauma/stressor exposure with DE via PTSD symptoms among men; postseparation stressors were also indirectly associated with DE via shape and weight concerns. Among women, each trauma type was indirectly associated with DE via shape and weight concerns but not PTSD symptoms. When trauma exposures were examined concurrently, MST and postseparation trauma exposure were uniquely associated with DE via shape and weight concerns among women. Only the indirect association of postseparation trauma/stressor exposure with DE via shape and weight concerns was significant among men. CONCLUSIONS: Findings support the need for gender-specific interventions that target different mechanisms contributing to DE symptoms among veterans. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Associations between eating disorder symptoms, employment status, and occupational functioning among female veterans.

BACKGROUND: Eating disorders (EDs) have been shown to negatively impact occupational functioning and may be associated with employment status. Findings have been inconsistent, and depression may mediate this relation. Further, prior research focuses mainly on binge eating disorder's (BED) impact on occupational functioning. We assessed the association between transdiagnostic ED symptoms and occupational functioning and employment status among female veterans, who tend to have high rates of EDs and unemployment but who remain understudied. METHOD: Participants were 198 female veterans (Mage = 54.09) in the New England region who participated in a larger study. They completed a mailed survey including the Eating Disorder Diagnostic Scale, Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale, employment status (employed vs. unemployed and out of the workforce), and the Inventory of Psychosocial Functioning to assess occupational functioning. RESULTS: ED symptoms were not significantly related to employment status but were negatively associated with occupational functioning when controlling for body mass index. Depressive symptoms mediated the associations between ED symptoms and both being out of the workforce and occupational functioning, respectively. DISCUSSION: Higher levels of ED symptoms were associated with worse occupational functioning in a female veteran sample. Further, comorbid depressive symptoms may be an important treatment target when addressing occupational health in women experiencing ED symptoms.

Father-daughter relationship dynamics & daughters' body image, eating patterns, and empowerment: An exploratory study.

Research indicates the role of parents in women's body dissatisfaction and maladaptive eating patterns. Fathers, in particular, have unique roles in determining daughters' protection against these health risks. Additionally, self-esteem, feminist values, and psychological empowerment are linked with body dissatisfaction and maladaptive eating patterns among women. This study examined the contributions of these psychological factors, family relational factors, and the role of fathers in empowering their daughters. Seventy-seven young adult women from intact families were recruited from Amazon Mechanical Turk and a university campus and completed self-report surveys. Participants were between the ages of 18 and 38 and primarily White. Results indicate that women with higher self-esteem and psychological empowerment endorsed greater body satisfaction. Women with higher self-esteem and endorsement of feminist values also reported significantly fewer maladaptive eating patterns. Greater family conflict was related to more maladaptive eating patterns. Analyses indicated increased body dissatisfaction and increased eating disorder risk decreased the odds of women reporting agency and fatherly supportive resources in their father-daughter communication narratives. Narrative data analysis revealed that fathers play a crucial role in promoting daughter's empowerment, egalitarian gender-role socialization, and healthy psychological wellbeing. Implications for research and clinical community-based treatment and prevention strategies are discussed.

Examining the Association between Trauma Exposure and Work-Related Outcomes in Women Veterans.

Women veterans have high rates of trauma exposure, including military sexual trauma (MST), which are associated with numerous health and psychosocial consequences. However, associations between trauma history and work-related outcomes are less well-characterized. We examined whether military-related and non-military trauma types were associated with work-related outcomes and whether posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression symptoms mediated these associations. A total of 369 women veterans completed up to two mailed surveys, 12 months apart, assessing trauma exposure, depression and PTSD symptoms, occupational functioning, and employment status (unemployed, out of the workforce, employed). Participants reported high rates of trauma exposure. Nearly half (47.5%) were out of the workforce. Military-related trauma, military sexual assault, and adult sexual assault were associated with worse occupational functioning. Only PTSD symptoms mediated associations between trauma types and occupational functioning. No trauma types were significantly directly associated with employment status; however, PTSD and depression symptoms mediated associations between trauma types and being out of the workforce. Findings can inform screening for military trauma exposures, mental health, and work-related needs among women veterans.