Recent investigations have shown that binge drinking and eating among adolescents is a relevant health problem in Italy where there is a continuing and growing concern regarding frequent and excessive substance misuse by younger people. Two were the principal aims of this study: first one was evaluating the relevance of binge drinking and eating among Italian adolescents, second one was analyzing the relationship between time perspective and binge behaviors. The sample consisted of 1,200 adolescents (600 males and 600 females) between the ages of 16 and 18. Drinking quantity and frequency were assessed using different questions: a) frequency of alcohol consumption; b) average number of drinks consumed per occasion in the last month. To measure the severity of binge eating, the Binge Eating Scale (Gormally et al., 1982) was applied, and Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (Zimbardo and Boyd, 1999) for evaluating time perspective. Results showed that the binge eat and drink group, binge group, eat group and non-binge group differ in terms of time perspective dimensions. MANOVA revealed main effect for binge groups: the binge eat and drink group reported negative experiences in the past, and they showed a lower future orientation and a greater inclination to fatalism than did students in the binge group, eat group and non-binge groups. The pattern of results reported across this study allows to conclude that time perspective is a significant factor linked to binging and thus appears to be a salient dimension when exploring the psychosocial correlates of binge behaviors, particularly within adolescents.

Time perspective among Italian adolescents who Binge Eat and Drink

LIGA, FRANCESCA;
2012-01-01

Abstract

Recent investigations have shown that binge drinking and eating among adolescents is a relevant health problem in Italy where there is a continuing and growing concern regarding frequent and excessive substance misuse by younger people. Two were the principal aims of this study: first one was evaluating the relevance of binge drinking and eating among Italian adolescents, second one was analyzing the relationship between time perspective and binge behaviors. The sample consisted of 1,200 adolescents (600 males and 600 females) between the ages of 16 and 18. Drinking quantity and frequency were assessed using different questions: a) frequency of alcohol consumption; b) average number of drinks consumed per occasion in the last month. To measure the severity of binge eating, the Binge Eating Scale (Gormally et al., 1982) was applied, and Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (Zimbardo and Boyd, 1999) for evaluating time perspective. Results showed that the binge eat and drink group, binge group, eat group and non-binge group differ in terms of time perspective dimensions. MANOVA revealed main effect for binge groups: the binge eat and drink group reported negative experiences in the past, and they showed a lower future orientation and a greater inclination to fatalism than did students in the binge group, eat group and non-binge groups. The pattern of results reported across this study allows to conclude that time perspective is a significant factor linked to binging and thus appears to be a salient dimension when exploring the psychosocial correlates of binge behaviors, particularly within adolescents.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11570/3048186
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