No description available.

Thesis (M.S.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1991. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 105-112). Also available via the Internet.

The series of studies reported in this thesis aimed to improve our knowledge of the cognitive disturbance in anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Techniques from experimental cognitive psychology were used to test predictions made by cognitive theories of eating disorders. In the first study, subjects performed three tasks related to eating, weight and shape and self-statements were measured using concurrent verbalisation and a selfreport questionnaire. Compared to dieters and non-dieting controls, patients with bulimia nervosa showed greater concern with weight and appearance while patients with anorexia nervosa showed greater concern with eating. In the second study, using an adaptation of the Stroop colour-naming task, patients with eating disorders showed greater selective processing of information related to eating, weight and shape than normal, non-dieting controls and normal dieters. In the third study it was found that this disturbance was more closely related to measures of the specific psychopathology of eating disorders rather than to measures of general psychopathology. In the fourth study information processing before and after treatment was compared. As predicted by cognitive theories, selective processing appeared to be related to the emotional salience of the clour-named words rather than to patients' familiarity with the issues represented by these words. In the fifth study information processing before and after three different psychological treatments for bulimia nervosa was measured. No support was found for the hypothesis that cognitive behaviour therapy operates through mechanisms specific to this treatment. Contrary to predictions, in the sixth study, when colour-naming was measured at the end of treatment and at 12 month follow-up, selective information processing did not predict relapse in symptoms of bulimia nervosa. Finally, a seventh study, which manipulated attitudes to eating, weight and shape experimentally, found evidence for a causal relationship between these attitudes and disturbed eating behaviour. Methodological issues, and the clinical and theoretical relevance of the research findings, are discussed.

No description available.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Tufts University, 1999. / Adviser: Robin Kanarek. Submitted to the Dept. of Psychology. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 172-183). Access restricted to members of the Tufts University community. Also available via the World Wide Web;

Esta tese tem como perspectiva a hipótese segundo a qual os conceitos de Eu-Pele e de Envelopes Psíquicos, desenvolvidos pelo psicanalista Didier Anzieu, permitem um viés importante na compreensão da questão da constituição dos limites e fronteiras psíquicos, nas patologias da anorexia e da bulimia na clínica psicanalítica. Tomando como eixo principal na abordagem desses quadros patológicos o tema dos limites - eu/outro, dentro/fora, corpo/psique, são discutidas as concepções dos autores Brusset, Jeammet e McDougall, referentes às condições necessárias para o estabelecimento dos limites nessas patologias alimentares. É realizado um percurso pela obra de Didier Anzieu de tal forma a permitir, a partir dos conceitos de eu-pele e envelopes psíquicos, a compreensão da teorização do autor acerca dos limites e fronteiras, que serão, posteriormente, articulados a sua presença na anorexia e na bulimia. Por fim, é possível afirmar que falhas nas funções e constituição do eu-pele e dos envelopes psíquicos, acarretam um sério comprometimento na constituição dos limites do psiquismo nas patologias alimentares da anorexia e da bulimia / This thesis is based on the perspective that the concepts of skin-ego and psychic envelope, developed by the psychoanalyst Didier Anzieu, bring an important contribution for the comprehension of the problematic of the constitution of psychic limits and boundaries in the disorders of anorexia and bulimia in the psychoanalytic clinic. Taking this as the main theoretical framework for the understanding of these pathological frames, the question of the limits - I/other, inside/outside, body/psyche - is discussed based on contributions from Brusset, Jeammet and McDougall, concerning the necessary conditions for the establishment of the limits within these pathologies. It is undertaken, therefore, a reading of the work of Didier Anzieu, in a way to allow, from the concepts of skin-ego and psychic envelope, the comprehension of the proposition of the author on the limits and boundaries for the articulation with anorexia and bulimia. Finally, we argue that the lack in the function and constitution of the skin-ego and psychic envelope, brings serious consequences to the constitution of the psychic limits in the eating disorders of anorexia and bulimia

Esta tese tem como perspectiva a hipótese segundo a qual os conceitos de Eu-Pele e de Envelopes Psíquicos, desenvolvidos pelo psicanalista Didier Anzieu, permitem um viés importante na compreensão da questão da constituição dos limites e fronteiras psíquicos, nas patologias da anorexia e da bulimia na clínica psicanalítica. Tomando como eixo principal na abordagem desses quadros patológicos o tema dos limites - eu/outro, dentro/fora, corpo/psique, são discutidas as concepções dos autores Brusset, Jeammet e McDougall, referentes às condições necessárias para o estabelecimento dos limites nessas patologias alimentares. É realizado um percurso pela obra de Didier Anzieu de tal forma a permitir, a partir dos conceitos de eu-pele e envelopes psíquicos, a compreensão da teorização do autor acerca dos limites e fronteiras, que serão, posteriormente, articulados a sua presença na anorexia e na bulimia. Por fim, é possível afirmar que falhas nas funções e constituição do eu-pele e dos envelopes psíquicos, acarretam um sério comprometimento na constituição dos limites do psiquismo nas patologias alimentares da anorexia e da bulimia / This thesis is based on the perspective that the concepts of skin-ego and psychic envelope, developed by the psychoanalyst Didier Anzieu, bring an important contribution for the comprehension of the problematic of the constitution of psychic limits and boundaries in the disorders of anorexia and bulimia in the psychoanalytic clinic. Taking this as the main theoretical framework for the understanding of these pathological frames, the question of the limits - I/other, inside/outside, body/psyche - is discussed based on contributions from Brusset, Jeammet and McDougall, concerning the necessary conditions for the establishment of the limits within these pathologies. It is undertaken, therefore, a reading of the work of Didier Anzieu, in a way to allow, from the concepts of skin-ego and psychic envelope, the comprehension of the proposition of the author on the limits and boundaries for the articulation with anorexia and bulimia. Finally, we argue that the lack in the function and constitution of the skin-ego and psychic envelope, brings serious consequences to the constitution of the psychic limits in the eating disorders of anorexia and bulimia

Public view removed at the authors request. 16/07/2006 / The daily experience of anorexia nervosa sufferers has not previously been studied and yet it is fundamental to understanding anorexia nervosa. This study examined and compared the daily experiences of anorexia nervosa patients and control participants in terms of sense of self, mood states and flow states. Flow is characterised by undivided concentration and interest in an activity for intrinsic benefits. Flow is not always desirable, as some ways of experiencing it may be harmful to the individual and society. Anorexia nervosa participants were recruited from hospitals and private practices of clinicians specialising in the treatment of anorexia nervosa. Exclusion criteria included male gender, chronic anorexia nervosa, drug abuse, and current participation in an inpatient program. Anorexia nervosa participants completed a series of questionnaires at baseline, 3-6 month follow-up and 7-12 month follow-up (stage one, two and three respectively). The questionnaires were designed to measure the severity of their eating disorder. Anorexia nervosa and control group participants completed Experience Sampling Forms (ESF) and a Repertory Grid at baseline and 3-6 months. The ESFs were completed each time a pager was activated. The pager was activated seven times a day, for four days at random times between 8.00am and 10.00pm. The pager signals were a minimum of two hours apart. The Repertory Grid consisted of 23 constructs and 13 elements provided to the participant. Thirty-one anorexia nervosa sufferers and thirty-two control participants completed stage one and eighteen anorexia nervosa sufferers and twenty-seven control group participants completed stage two of the study. Eighteen anorexia nervosa sufferers completed stage three of the study. Control participants were not required to participate in stage three. There was no difference in the severity of anorexia nervosa between completers and drop-outs The analysis of the ESFs at stage one indicated that the anorexia nervosa group participants did not spend more time alone at home or more time alone in any situation than the control group. For both groups, being alone had a negative influence on mood state, but had no effect on sense of self. The anorexia nervosa group felt lonelier and less sociable than the control group. The mood state and sense of self for the anorexia nervosa group was significantly lower over all the ESFs when compared to the control group. They were also more self-critical, experienced higher levels of guilt, were less able to live up to their own expectations, and were less satisfied with their performance in the activity they were doing. The anorexia nervosa group experienced less flow states than the control group at stage one. There was an improvement in mood state, sense of self and self-criticism for the anorexia nervosa group when they were in a flow state compared to when they were not in a flow state. There was an improvement in mood state, sense of self, guilt and self-criticism for the control group when they experienced flow, however these differences were not significant. The anorexia nervosa group had a more positive mood state and sense of self at stage two when compared to stage one. Correspondingly, there was a trend towards a reduced severity of the disorder indicated by a significant improvement on some of the psychological tests (EAT, REDS, BDI, DT). There was also a significant improvement in BMI. However, there was a significant decline in the amount of flow of anorexia nervosa participants experienced at stage two when compared to stage one. This result may be attributed to the significant decline in the response rate on ESFs in the second stage of the study for both the anorexia nervosa and control groups. Anorexia nervosa non-responders at stage two reported more severe symptoms of anorexia nervosa than anorexia nervosa responders, although this was a trend and reached significance only on minor indicators of eating disorder severity. The identification of a factor that predicted severity over a six-month period was not possible. The repertory grid analysis showed that the construct system of the anorexia nervosa participants was tighter and less complex than that of the control group. The anorexia nervosa group construed themselves as dissimilar from the way they would like to be in any context. The control group construed themselves as similar to the way they would like to be when they were alone, but as dissimilar from the way they would like to be when they were with other people. While the most salient element for both the anorexia nervosa and control groups was 'alone at home', it appears that the controls use this time for goal-directed activities. In contrast, this time was dominated by fear of losing control for the anorexia nervosa group. Although there was a trend towards a decrease in the amount of variance accounted for by the first component for the anorexia nervosa group at stage two compared to stage one, the interpretation of this result was complicated by mixed result of the control group. The anorexia nervosa groups' daily experience of life was bleak when compared to the daily experience of the control group, except for periods when the anorexia nervosa participants experienced a flow state. DeVries (1992) has documented the success of therapeutic interventions that involve the identification and replication of activities that resulted in a flow state. This investigation suggests that a similar result may be possible in the treatment of anorexia nervosa.

Public view removed at the authors request. 16/07/2006 / The daily experience of anorexia nervosa sufferers has not previously been studied and yet it is fundamental to understanding anorexia nervosa. This study examined and compared the daily experiences of anorexia nervosa patients and control participants in terms of sense of self, mood states and flow states. Flow is characterised by undivided concentration and interest in an activity for intrinsic benefits. Flow is not always desirable, as some ways of experiencing it may be harmful to the individual and society. Anorexia nervosa participants were recruited from hospitals and private practices of clinicians specialising in the treatment of anorexia nervosa. Exclusion criteria included male gender, chronic anorexia nervosa, drug abuse, and current participation in an inpatient program. Anorexia nervosa participants completed a series of questionnaires at baseline, 3-6 month follow-up and 7-12 month follow-up (stage one, two and three respectively). The questionnaires were designed to measure the severity of their eating disorder. Anorexia nervosa and control group participants completed Experience Sampling Forms (ESF) and a Repertory Grid at baseline and 3-6 months. The ESFs were completed each time a pager was activated. The pager was activated seven times a day, for four days at random times between 8.00am and 10.00pm. The pager signals were a minimum of two hours apart. The Repertory Grid consisted of 23 constructs and 13 elements provided to the participant. Thirty-one anorexia nervosa sufferers and thirty-two control participants completed stage one and eighteen anorexia nervosa sufferers and twenty-seven control group participants completed stage two of the study. Eighteen anorexia nervosa sufferers completed stage three of the study. Control participants were not required to participate in stage three. There was no difference in the severity of anorexia nervosa between completers and drop-outs The analysis of the ESFs at stage one indicated that the anorexia nervosa group participants did not spend more time alone at home or more time alone in any situation than the control group. For both groups, being alone had a negative influence on mood state, but had no effect on sense of self. The anorexia nervosa group felt lonelier and less sociable than the control group. The mood state and sense of self for the anorexia nervosa group was significantly lower over all the ESFs when compared to the control group. They were also more self-critical, experienced higher levels of guilt, were less able to live up to their own expectations, and were less satisfied with their performance in the activity they were doing. The anorexia nervosa group experienced less flow states than the control group at stage one. There was an improvement in mood state, sense of self and self-criticism for the anorexia nervosa group when they were in a flow state compared to when they were not in a flow state. There was an improvement in mood state, sense of self, guilt and self-criticism for the control group when they experienced flow, however these differences were not significant. The anorexia nervosa group had a more positive mood state and sense of self at stage two when compared to stage one. Correspondingly, there was a trend towards a reduced severity of the disorder indicated by a significant improvement on some of the psychological tests (EAT, REDS, BDI, DT). There was also a significant improvement in BMI. However, there was a significant decline in the amount of flow of anorexia nervosa participants experienced at stage two when compared to stage one. This result may be attributed to the significant decline in the response rate on ESFs in the second stage of the study for both the anorexia nervosa and control groups. Anorexia nervosa non-responders at stage two reported more severe symptoms of anorexia nervosa than anorexia nervosa responders, although this was a trend and reached significance only on minor indicators of eating disorder severity. The identification of a factor that predicted severity over a six-month period was not possible. The repertory grid analysis showed that the construct system of the anorexia nervosa participants was tighter and less complex than that of the control group. The anorexia nervosa group construed themselves as dissimilar from the way they would like to be in any context. The control group construed themselves as similar to the way they would like to be when they were alone, but as dissimilar from the way they would like to be when they were with other people. While the most salient element for both the anorexia nervosa and control groups was 'alone at home', it appears that the controls use this time for goal-directed activities. In contrast, this time was dominated by fear of losing control for the anorexia nervosa group. Although there was a trend towards a decrease in the amount of variance accounted for by the first component for the anorexia nervosa group at stage two compared to stage one, the interpretation of this result was complicated by mixed result of the control group. The anorexia nervosa groups' daily experience of life was bleak when compared to the daily experience of the control group, except for periods when the anorexia nervosa participants experienced a flow state. DeVries (1992) has documented the success of therapeutic interventions that involve the identification and replication of activities that resulted in a flow state. This investigation suggests that a similar result may be possible in the treatment of anorexia nervosa.

Although factors associated with eating disorders (ED) have been studied, no comprehensive source of research findings was identified in this review. The purpose of this study was to identify and synthesize research findings of factors associated with ED in women published from 1992-2006. These findings may be useful to nurses, other professionals, families, and the public to facilitate the prevention, detection, treatment, and rehabilitation of women with EDs. The factors identified as most pertinent through this review were depression, sexual abuse, substance abuse, anxiety disorders, early pubertal onset and the personality traits of perfectionism and impulsivity. No factor was identified as causative for EDs, but sexual abuse and anxiety disorders often preceded the ED. Findings varied among ED subtypes, with sexual abuse and substance abuse more common with binge/purge behaviors and bulimic symptomology, while depression and anxiety disorders were more common with both anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Perfectionism was most common in anorexics; in one study it was identified independent of stress and persisted after recovery. Limitations noted in the research reviewed include using self-report questionnaires, some small samples, exclusion of some ED subtypes, and a predominant use of cross-sectional and clinical samples. Recommendations for further research included large epidemiological samples containing multiple ED subtypes and males, as well as longitudinal studies and methods to determine causal relationships among EDs and the associated factors identified. Implications for nursing education, practice, and policy development focus on screening for ED during physical examinations and interviews, posing questions to facilitate disclosure, addressing emotions elicited, and suggestions for routine monitoring of patients in clinical settings.