A Study on Eating Disorders and Self-esteem among Indian and International College Students

Abstract

This study explores how self-esteem might be connected to the likelihood of developing an eating disorder (anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder) among Indian and international college students in Tamil Nadu, India. We looked at 100 students, half from India and half from other countries. We used a convenient sampling method and two well-known surveys which were the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and the Eating Disorders Diagnostic Scale to gather information. We formulated hypothesis to assess the correlations between self-esteem and eating disorders, gender differences in self-esteem and eating disorder prevalence, and cultural differences in these constructs. The results showed a weak but notable negative correlation between self-esteem and measures of eating disorders. Specifically, we noticed that people with eating disorders tended to have lower self-esteem, which was clear from the statistics (t = -2.846, p = 0.006). This difference was especially noticeable in cases of bulimia nervosa (p = 0.046). While the study did not find substantial gender differences in self-esteem and eating disorder prevalence, existing literature suggests that females may be at a higher risk, indicating a need for further investigation in this area. The study also looked at how Indian and international students differ in terms of self-esteem and eating disorders, yet comprehensive conclusions could not be drawn in the quantitative analysis provided. The results show that the link between self-esteem and eating disorders is pretty complicated. This emphasizes needing more research that looks at these issues by incorporating longitudinal designs and qualitative methodologies. By addressing these relationships, the study aims to contribute to the development of targeted interventions and preventive strategies that can improve mental health outcomes among diverse college student populations.