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Abstract
Introduction: Exposure to traumatic events is a well-established risk factor for eating pathology, including binge eating, purging, restricting, and excessive exercise. This association has been primarily explored in higher-income countries, like the United States. The goal of this study was to elucidate the associations among victimization trauma (physical assault, sexual assault, and other unwanted sexual experience assessed) exposure and (binge eating, purging, restriction and excessive exercise) in a global sample of women.
Methods: Participants were 2,458 women attending universities across seven countries (US, UK, Canada, Germany, Iran, Turkey, Colombia) who were recruited through their undergraduate participant pool. Students who completed these online survey questionnaires earned course credit. Eating pathology was measured using the 45-item Eating Pathology Symptoms Inventory. Victimization trauma exposure was measured using the sum of three items from the Standard Life Events Checklist-5. Associations among eating pathology and victimization trauma were tested using multiple regression, controlling for subjective socioeconomic status, country status, depression, anxiety, and stress levels.
Results: Victimization trauma exposure was significantly associated with binge eating (β = .83, p < .001), purging (β = .82, p < .001), restriction (β = 1.07, p < .001), and excessive exercise (β = .30, p = .016).
Discussion: Results replicate previous findings that victimization trauma is associated with eating disorder symptomatology and extend this work by interrogating this association in a global sample. Further clarifying this relationship will help identify key risk factors in underlying eating pathology across cultural contexts
Publication Date
2026
Subject Major(s)
psychology
Keywords
trauma, eating pathology, college, epidemiology, cross-national, women
Disciplines
Clinical Psychology
Current Academic Year
Junior
Faculty Advisor/Mentor
Kelsey Hagan
Faculty Advisor/Mentor
Cate Morales
Rights
© The Author(s)
Recommended Citation
Feliciano, M., Hagan, K., & Morales, C. (2026). Victimization trauma and eating pathology: A global perspective [Poster]. Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University.