Schema modes in eating disorders compared to a community sample

The aim of this study was to examine the association between eating disorders (ED) and schema modes, and identify which specific schema modes are associated with particular eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN) and other specified feeding or eating disorder (OSFED).

A total of forty seven women with eating disorders and 89 women from the community participated in this study. Eating disorder diagnosis was determined by a clinician treating the eating disorder and was confirmed on the basis of Body Mass Index (BMI) and the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q). The Schema Mode Inventory (SMI) was used to explore the association between schema modes and eating disorder diagnostic status.

A series t-tests revealed that when compared to the community sample, the ED group scored significantly higher on 10 out of 12 maladaptive schema modes, and significantly lower on both adaptive schema modes. A series of planned contrasts revealed that the AN, BN, and OSFED groups each scored significantly higher than the community sample group in the majority of maladaptive schema modes, with slight variations between groups. Further, AN, BN, and OSFED groups each scored significantly lower than the community sample group for the two SMI scores categorized as adaptive. All Cohen's d that reached significance ranged 0.55-2.24.

The current study shows a tendency for females with eating disorders to rely on maladaptive schema modes more frequently, and more adaptive schema modes less frequently compared to a community sample. These findings provide initial empirical support for a schema mode model of eating disorders.