income, socioeconomic status, and missing data as independent variables. Since data regarding assault history may be underrepresented, chi-square analysis results may be skewed. A strength of this study appears to be its efforts to include possible extraneous variables, as independent variables (SES, age, etc.).
Results demonstrate the percentage of assaulted and nonassaulted men and women with eating disorder symptoms; sexual assault history subjects were more likely to report each symptom. Gender interactions were nonsignificant and data was therefore pooled. Sexual assault interacted significantly with ethnicity in the model of "thought fat". Since a thought of being fat, may not be considered representative of anorexia nervosa, this information may or may not be useful. African Americans differed from non-Hispanic Whites and Hispanics regarding positive associations with the thought of being fat; it is possible that some ethnic groups may identify more or less with cultural weight standards having nothing to do with eating disorder symptomology.
The authors concluded that previous studies and surveys have suggested a relationship of sexual assault history and eating disorder behaviors, but this is the first "US population-based study, the first study including men and members of diverse ethnic groups, and the largest study to date to examine the relationship" (p. 581). Strengths of this study were, sample size, inclusion of diversity, and control of independent variables such as age, income, etc.
Although the study was large, a weakness included the fact that operational definitions were inadequate and results may offer false conclusions. An example of an additional possibly false conclusion, is the association of sexual assault, losing 15 or more pounds, and subjects with lowest income. It is possible that the weight loss had to do with poverty rather than eating disorder; again, operational definitions related...