The aim of the study was assessing differences in selected psychosocial and behavioural variables between a referred sample of patients with an eating disorder, a non-referred risk sample with eating problems, and a healthy control group.

There were N=100 patients (95 females and 5 males, Mean age = 15.8, SD = 1.3) in the referred sample. The two matched non-referred groups of each N=215 participants (95% females, 5% males; Mean age =16.1, SD = 1.5) stem from the Zurich Adolescent Psychology- and Psychopathology-Study (ZAPPS). Emotional and behavioural problems were assessed using the Youth Self Report (YSR) and a depression scale. In addition, the participants responded to questionnaires covering life events, self-related cognitions, coping capacities, perceived parental behaviour, and family climate.

Compared to both non-referred groups, the referred sample had significantly higher scores on the social withdrawn, anxious/depressed and thought problems scale of the YSR, on the depression and the life events scales, and significantly lower scores on the self esteem scale. Compared to the referred sample, the non-referred risk sample had significantly higher scores on the YSR-scale measuring externalizing problems and the perceived parental rejection scale, but lower scores on the family climate scales measuring cohesion and adaptability.

The three groups were differentiated by various psychosocial and behavioural variables. Externalizing problems and indicators of a poor family climate were more common in a non-referred high-risk group with eating problems than in a referred sample with clinical eating disorders.