Abstract

The present studies tested the validity of structural equation models in explaining depression of middle school girls, with three primary objectives in mind. They were: First, to examine the roles of body image dissatisfaction in effect of obesity on depression. Second, to identify the relationships of obesity and binge eating and its causality on depression. Third, to specify the structural equation model that include obesity, body image dissatisfaction, binge eating and depression. The results of structural equation analyses showed that obesity might predict depression mainly by mediating of body image dissatisfaction. Also the correlation rather than casuality on relationships of obesity and binge eating were supported. The integrated model fitted the data very well when the pathway from binge eating to body image dissatisfaction were added. Because supposed other models fitted the data, the future study on obesity and clinical symptoms is desirable to simultaneously consider individual differences(attitude and traits etc.), developmental variables and pathological correlates.