Self-competence and self-liking in the prediction of change in bulimic symptoms.

OBJECTIVE To examine the relationship of self-competence and self-liking (two distinct dimensions of self-esteem) to bulimic symptoms. METHOD Two separate longitudinal studies were conducted on undergraduate women from two universities (Study 1, N=129; Study 2, N=406). Measures of self-competence, self-liking, and bulimic symptoms were administered on two occasions, separated by several weeks. RESULTS Self-competence demonstrated a stronger relationship than self-liking to change in bulimic symptoms over time. DISCUSSION These findings have significant theoretic implications for the construct of self-esteem and implications for risk for and treatment of bulimia.