Eating disorders as coping strategies: A critique

An association between eating disorder symptoms and stress has been observed in a number of studies in both laboratory and clinical settings. A popular conclusion has been that eating disorder symptoms may represent a coping strategy. However, since coping is a part of the stress process, it is possible that many authors have confounded this process (i.e. stress) with the outcome (i.e. eating disorder). Suggestions that eating disorders are coping strategies are discussed in terms of a Precise definition of coping. Symptoms can only be considered as coping strategies if they are goal-directed and motivated by the wish to influence stress levels. Although it is suggested that eating disorders are unlikely to be coping strategies at their onset, they may acquire functional status by reinforcement, although this still does not mean that they are necessarily coping strategies. It is suggested that the view of eating disorders as coping may simply be a modem, causal explanation of symptoms. The advantages and disadvantages of such a casual explanation for clinical practice are discussed. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.