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Distorted body image as a risk factor in anorexia nervosa: replication and clarification
1Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322.
Psychological Reports
|April 1, 1990
Summary
College women with anorexia-like traits perceive their bodies as larger, especially if thin. This body image distortion may motivate dieting and increase anorexia risk.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Body Image Research
- Eating Disorder Studies
Background:
- Previous research indicated that individuals with psychological similarities to anorexia nervosa (AN) perceive their bodies as larger.
- This perceptual distortion was observed in college women compared to control groups.
Purpose of the Study:
- To replicate findings on body image perception in college women with anorexia-like traits.
- To investigate the relationship between body image perception, dieting strategies, and the risk of developing anorexia nervosa.
Main Methods:
- Replication of an earlier study involving college women.
- Comparison of body image perception between women with anorexia-like traits and control groups.
- Assessment of perceptual enhancement using both body image and inanimate object ratings.
- Analysis of dieting strategies employed by participants.
Main Results:
- The study replicated earlier findings: college women with anorexia-like traits reported a larger body image than controls, but only if they were relatively thin.
- This perceptual enhancement effect was specific to body image and not observed when rating inanimate objects.
- Analysis of dieting strategies provided support for the hypothesis that an enhanced body image motivates food restraint.
Conclusions:
- An unrealistically larger body image in thin individuals with anorexia-like traits is a replicable finding.
- Body image enhancement appears to play a role in motivating food restraint, potentially increasing the risk for anorexia nervosa.
- Further research is warranted to explore the dynamic interplay between body image perception and eating disorder development.
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