Jennifer L Barney1, Tyson S Barrett2, Tera Lensegrav-Benson3, Benita Quakenbush3, Michael P Twohig2. 1. Department of Psychology, Utah State University, 2810 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT, 84322, USA. jen.barney@usu.edu. 2. Department of Psychology, Utah State University, 2810 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT, 84322, USA. 3. Avalon Hills Eating Disorder Specialists, 175 E 100 N, Logan, UT, 84321, USA.
Abstract
PURPOSE: This study sought to explore the associations between Intuitive Eating (IE), eating disorder (ED) symptom severity, and body image-related cognitive fusion within a clinical sample. IE was also examined as a possible mediator in the relationship between body image-related fusion and ED symptoms. METHODS: This study includes cross-sectional analyses with data from 100 adult females and 75 adolescent females seeking residential treatment for an ED. Self-reported demographic information, ED symptoms, IE behaviors, and body image-related cognitive fusion were collected from participants within the first week of treatment following admission to the same residential ED treatment facility. RESULTS: ED symptom severity was significantly negatively associated with three of the four domains of IE; unconditional permission to eat, reliance on hunger and satiety cues, and body-food choice congruence. A significant mediational effect of IE on the relationship between body image-related fusion and ED symptoms through IE behaviors was observed (β = 11.3, SE = 0.003, p < 0.001). This effect was only observed for the unconditional permission to eat (β = 0.13, p = 0.003) and reliance on hunger and satiety cues (β = 0.10, p = 0.005) domains of IE when the domains were subsequently analyzed individually. CONCLUSION: Unconditional permission to eat and reliance on hunger and satiety cues appear to be particularly influential domains of IE in the relationship between body image-related fusion and ED symptom severity. It is possible that changes in these IE domains may be mechanisms through which body image-related fusion influences ED symptoms. Future longitudinal research is needed to better understand the relationship between body image-related cognitive fusion and IE and the potential for targeting these constructs specifically in the context of ED treatment. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level V, cross-sectional analysis from descriptive study.
PURPOSE: This study sought to explore the associations between Intuitive Eating (IE), eating disorder (ED) symptom severity, and body image-related cognitive fusion within a clinical sample. IE was also examined as a possible mediator in the relationship between body image-related fusion and ED symptoms. METHODS: This study includes cross-sectional analyses with data from 100 adult females and 75 adolescent females seeking residential treatment for an ED. Self-reported demographic information, ED symptoms, IE behaviors, and body image-related cognitive fusion were collected from participants within the first week of treatment following admission to the same residential ED treatment facility. RESULTS: ED symptom severity was significantly negatively associated with three of the four domains of IE; unconditional permission to eat, reliance on hunger and satiety cues, and body-food choice congruence. A significant mediational effect of IE on the relationship between body image-related fusion and ED symptoms through IE behaviors was observed (β = 11.3, SE = 0.003, p < 0.001). This effect was only observed for the unconditional permission to eat (β = 0.13, p = 0.003) and reliance on hunger and satiety cues (β = 0.10, p = 0.005) domains of IE when the domains were subsequently analyzed individually. CONCLUSION: Unconditional permission to eat and reliance on hunger and satiety cues appear to be particularly influential domains of IE in the relationship between body image-related fusion and ED symptom severity. It is possible that changes in these IE domains may be mechanisms through which body image-related fusion influences ED symptoms. Future longitudinal research is needed to better understand the relationship between body image-related cognitive fusion and IE and the potential for targeting these constructs specifically in the context of ED treatment. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level V, cross-sectional analysis from descriptive study.
Authors: Joachim Westenhoefer; Daniel Engel; Claus Holst; Jürgen Lorenz; Matthew Peacock; James Stubbs; Stephen Whybrow; Monique Raats Journal: Eat Behav Date: 2012-11-13
Authors: Mary Christoph; Elina Järvelä-Reijonen; Laura Hooper; Nicole Larson; Susan M Mason; Dianne Neumark-Sztainer Journal: Appetite Date: 2021-01-09 Impact factor: 3.868