Evidence supporting this contention also comes from learning theory. Adolescent girls who endorse the expectancy that eating can help manage their negative affect are more likely to begin and increase their binge eating during middle school (Smith, Simmons, Flory, Annus, & Hill, 2007c), and that expectancy differentiates bulimic women from others (Hohlstein, Smith, & Atlas, 1998). Adolescents who hold expectancies that drinking will reduce tension/distress and provide global improvement to their lives are more likely to begin problem drinking during middle school (Christiansen, Smith, Roehling, & Goldman, 1989).
