Editorial on the Research Topic. Extreme Eating Behaviours.

Die vorliegende Arbeit entwickelt einen Vorschlag für einen neuen, kompakteren Fragebogen mit dem Akronym „BaFEK-45“ zur Diagnostik von Essstörungen, der auf einer statistischen Analyse von Daten aus fünf bereits etablierten Fragebogen (ANIS, EAT – 26, FBeK, EDI – 2, EDES) mit einer Gesamtzahl von 231 Items basiert. Dabei wurden die Antworten von Patientinnen aus den 1990er- und 2000er-Jahren der Klinik und Poliklinik für Psychiatrie, Psychotherapie und Psychosomatik des Kindes- und Jugendalters der Universität Leipzig ausgewertet. Auf Grundlage zweier „Signalfragen“ zu Ess-Anfällen wurden die Fragebogen-Serien in drei Gruppen (anorektisch, bulimisch und grenzwertig) eingeteilt, daraufhin konnte eine Analyse zu den Unterschieden im Antwortverhalten zwischen eben diesen Gruppe vorgenommen werden. Nach einem auf dieser Analyse basierenden Auswahlverfahren wurden die verbliebenen Items einer mehrstufigen Faktorenanalyse und kritischen inhaltlichen Differenzierung unterzogen. An deren Ende steht der o.g. Vorschlag eines neuen Diagnostikinstruments, das sich aus 45 Fragen in fünf Skalen zusammensetzt.

As a whole, eating disorders have been characterised as having the following key features: a persistent over concern with body size and shape; and weight control behaviours such as fasting, exercise, and self-induced vomiting. However, there tends to be a blurred line between those that do and do not meet diagnostic thresholds as the level of psychological distress is comparably similar. This study examined whether psychological inflexibility (from an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy perspective) was associated with eating disorders and whether it mediated the relationship between childhood abuse and invalidation and eating disorders. This was considered to be important because high rates of abuse have consistently been found in this population, yet not everyone goes on to develop an eating disorder. In addition, the role of emotional abuse has been largely neglected. A clinical sample of 190 participants with a clinical or subclinical eating disorder were recruited from eating disorder charities and support forums; they completed a range of questionnaires measuring experiences of abuse and maternal/paternal emotional invalidation in childhood, current levels of cognitive fusion and experiential avoidance and current levels of eating pathology. The sample was split into three groups based on their Eating Disorder Risk Composite scores: elevated, typical and low clinical range. It was found that those in the elevated clinical range (most severe eating pathology) had the poorest emotional processing and significantly higher levels of psychological inflexibility, thought-shape-fusion, depression and anxiety than those in the low clinical range (least severe eating pathology). In terms of predicting current levels of eating pathology, three variables emerged as significant predictors: emotional processing, thought-shape fusion and depression. In terms of predicting current levels of psychological inflexibility, five variables emerged as significant predictors: childhood emotional abuse, emotional processing, thought-shape-fusion, depression and anxiety. The results add novel findings to the literature regarding the role of early experiences on the development of psychological inflexibility, and the role of psychological inflexibility in the maintenance of eating pathology and psychological distress. Clinical implications of these findings in relation to assessment, formulation, intervention and prevention are discussed.

The diploma thesis is focusing on the topic of eating disorders in young men. The literature review summarizes the current information concerning eating disorders in this population. Eating and feeding disorders included in DSM - 5 are described. The thesis also focuses on orthorexia nervosa and muscle dysmorphia. A separate chapter deals with body image in men and its connection to eating disorders. The final chapter of the literary review section is focused on the possibilities of diagnostics and therapy. The empirical part of the work consists of a quantitative research conducted on a sample of 164 men aged 18-30 years. A questionnaire survey was carried out. Using Spearman's correlation coefficient, a significant correlation was found between the symptomatology of eating disorders and muscle dysmorphia. There was also a significant correlation between Body Mass Index and the symptoms of eating disorders and also between BMI and muscular dysmorphia. Data analysis revealed a positive correlation between the higher symptomatology of eating disorders and dissatisfaction with the amout of body fat. No significant relationship was found between the symptomatology of eating disorders and dissatisfaction with muscle mass. There was a significant correlation between Body Mass Index and dissatisfaction...