The association between maternal parenting styles and eating disorders among Lebanese university students: The mediating role of the self-assessment dimension of self-esteem

ObjectiveEating disorders are influenced by an array of distinct factors such as genetics, personality traits, and history of childhood abuse. Recently maternal parenting styles have been investigated as one of the contributing aspects. These styles are intricately connected to childrens self-esteem. As such this study aims to examine the association between maternal parenting styles and eating disorders and better investigate the mediating role of the self-assessment, an essential understudied dimension of self-esteem. MethodA cross-sectional online study was conducted between November 2023 and May 2024. Around 300 Lebanese university students filled out surveys assessing demographic factors, maternal parenting style, eating disorders, and self-assessment. ResultsWe found that different maternal styles distinctly influence the development of eating disorders; with self-esteem mediating the relationship between different maternal parenting styles and eating disorders development. Self-assessment negatively mediated the association between maternal expectations and eating control and dieting, and it negatively mediated the association between maternal permissive and dieting and bulimia. Self-assessment positively mediated the association between maternal control and eating control, dieting, and bulimia. DiscussionThis study mostly provides healthcare professionals and clinical educators with valuable insights into the complex association between parenting and eating disorders and highlights the importance of developing skillsets to boost self-esteem for those at risk of developing eating disorders.