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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 7, 2025

A Computer-Based Platform for Aiding Clinicians in Eating Disorder Analysis and Diagnosis

A Computer-Based Platform for Aiding Clinicians in Eating Disorder Analysis and Diagnosis

Published on: May 10, 2022

Targeting body image in eating disorders.

Piers L Cornelissen¹, Martin J Tovée¹

¹Department of Psychology, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom.

Current Opinion in Psychology

|May 3, 2021

Summary

Cognitive bias training shows promise for treating eating disorders by recalibrating body size categorization. This approach may reduce relapse rates and improve psychological profiles in patients with anorexia nervosa.

Keywords:

Anorexia nervosa Body image change Body image disturbance Cognitive bias training

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Validation of a Psychosocial Intervention on Body Image in Older People: An Experimental Design

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Published on: May 31, 2021

Area of Science:

Psychology
Clinical Psychology
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Background:

Eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa, exhibit high relapse rates and treatment resistance.
Body image disturbance (BID) is a central feature of eating disorders, predicting onset, treatment success, and relapse.
Existing treatments for eating disorders often struggle to address core psychological components like BID effectively.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the efficacy of an adapted cognitive bias training (CBT) intervention for improving body image disturbance (BID) in individuals with eating disorders.
To explore whether CBT can recalibrate categorical judgments of body size, thereby challenging maladaptive preconceptions.
To assess the potential of CBT as an additional treatment option for eating disorders and related conditions.

Main Methods:

Adapted cognitive bias training (CBT) focusing on body size categorization rather than judgment accuracy.
Recalibration of the categorical boundary for judging body weight to challenge existing patient beliefs.
Assessment of psychological profiles and eating disorder attitudes following the intervention.

Main Results:

The adapted CBT intervention demonstrated potential for improving BID.
Recalibrating body size categorization led to a broader reassessment of eating disorder attitudes.
Significant improvements in the psychological profiles of participants were observed.

Conclusions:

Cognitive bias training, by targeting body size categorization, offers a promising new avenue for treating eating disorders.
This intervention may serve as a valuable addition to existing treatment protocols, potentially reducing relapse rates.
Further research is warranted to confirm the long-term effectiveness and applicability of CBT in eating disorders and conditions like bulimia nervosa and body dysmorphia.