Pictorial adaptation of Stroop measures of body-related concerns in eating disorders.

Patients with eating disorders were asked to color-name pictures of a variety of body shapes. The time taken to color-name these stimuli was compared with the time taken to color-name a series of neutral visual stimuli. There was a significant delay in naming body shapes in comparison to neutral stimuli, and this delay was greater in anorexic and bulimic patients than in controls. Previous Stroop adaptations have used verbal stimuli to assess the intensity of weight and shape-related concerns. The possible advantages of pictorial stimuli are discussed.