Bulimia nervosa: mood changes do have an impact on body width estimation

This study was designed to investigate the impact of mood changes on body width estimation in women with bulimia nervosa.

A pre-post controlled experimental design was chosen.

Mood changes were induced in 40 women with bulimia nervosa, 20 women with panic disorder and 40 women with no diagnosis of a psychological disorder. A combination of autobiographical memory method and music induction method was used to induce positive and negative mood, respectively. Before and after mood induction a video distorting technique was used for body width estimation.

Induction of negative mood increased and induction of positive mood decreased the body width estimations of women with bulimia. Patients with panic disorder and 'healthy' controls did not show these changes after mood induction.

The findings suggest that change in mood state rather than the more habitual mood quality are relevant for bulimic women's body perception.