On the relationship between child abuse and eating pathology

The thesis examined variables that could potentially mediate the relationship between child abuse and eating pathology. The relationship was found to be intricate and multi-faceted with important gender differences. The most novel finding was that drive for muscularity was significantly associated with child abuse in males and in females. The portfolio presents four adult case studies, each with different experiences of child abuse. It aims to examine if the core tenets of neurobiological theory of trauma can be useful to understand the lasting effects of child abuse on adult functioning.