ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: A growing body of evidence suggests that rigid and inflexible regulation and coping are at the core of psychopathology, including disordered eating (DE) problems. Employing two cross-sectional studies, the present paper investigated whether body image flexibility (BIF), a specific type of psychological flexibility, mediates the relations between DE cognitions and overall DE pathology. METHOD: Ethnically diverse non-clinical college undergraduates (Study 1 N=208; Study 2 N=178) completed an anonymous online survey. RESULTS: BIF was found to partially mediate the relationship between DE cognitions and overall DE pathology after controlling for gender and body mass index (BMI). DISCUSSION: Our findings suggest that the link between DE cognitions and overall DE pathology is established in part through an inflexible and avoidant coping style specific to negative body image. Clinical implications include targeting BIF as a mechanism of change and treating DE pathology with acceptance- and mindfulness-based behavioral interventions.
Subject(s)
Cognition , Eating/psychology , Feeding Behavior/psychology , Feeding and Eating Disorders/psychology , Adolescent , Body Image , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Humans , Male , Students/psychology , Surveys and Questionnaires , Universities , Young AdultABSTRACT
The present study investigated whether mindfulness mediates the relation between disordered eating-related cognitions and negative psychological outcomes within a non-clinical college sample. Disordered eating-related cognitions were positively associated with general psychological ill-health and emotional distress in interpersonal contexts and inversely related to mindfulness. Mindfulness, which was also inversely related to general psychological ill-health and emotional distress, was found to partially mediate the relations between disordered eating-related cognitions and the two predicted variables.
Subject(s)
Cognition , Feeding Behavior/psychology , Feeding and Eating Disorders/psychology , Stress, Psychological/psychology , Adolescent , Adult , Attention , Body Image , Female , Humans , Male , Mental Health , Middle Aged , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
Using two modes of intervention delivery, the present study compared the effects of a cognitive defusion strategy with a thought distraction strategy on the emotional discomfort and believability of negative self-referential thoughts. One mode of intervention delivery consisted of a clinical rationale and training (i.e., Partial condition). The other mode contained a condition-specific experiential exercise with the negative self-referential thought in addition to the clinical rationale and training (i.e., Full condition). Nonclinical undergraduates were randomly assigned to one of five protocols: Partial-Defusion, Full-Defusion, Partial-Distraction, Full-Distraction, and a distraction-based experimental control task. The Full-Defusion condition reduced the emotional discomfort and believability of negative self-referential thoughts significantly more than other comparison conditions. The positive results of the Full-Defusion condition were also found among participants with elevated depressive symptoms.
Subject(s)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy/methods , Self Concept , Thinking , Adolescent , Adult , Emotions , Female , Humans , Male , Middle AgedABSTRACT
The present cross-sectional study investigated the relation among disordered eating-related cognition, psychological flexibility, and poor psychological outcomes among a nonclinical college sample. As predicted, conviction of disordered eating-related cognitions was positively associated with general psychological ill-health and emotional distress in interpersonal contexts. Disordered eating-related cognition was also inversely related to psychological flexibility, which was inversely related to poor psychological health and emotional distress in interpersonal contexts. The combination of disordered eating-related cognition and psychological flexibility accounted for the proportion of variance of these poor psychological outcomes greater than disordered eating-related cognition alone. Finally, psychological flexibility accounted for the proportion of variance of these negative psychological variables greater than did disordered eating-related cognition.
Subject(s)
Cognition Disorders/psychology , Eating/psychology , Mental Health , Students/psychology , Adaptation, Psychological , Adolescent , Adult , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Humans , Interpersonal Relations , Male , Middle Aged , Psychiatric Status Rating Scales , Psychological Tests , Stress, Psychological/psychology , Young AdultABSTRACT
Previous research has shown that rapid vocal repetition of a one-word version of negative self-referential thought reduces the stimulus functions (e.g., emotional discomfort and believability) associated with that thought. The present study compares the effects of that defusion strategy with thought distraction and distraction-based experimental control tasks on a negative self-referential thought. Non-clinical undergraduates were randomly assigned to one of three protocols. The cognitive defusion condition reduced the emotional discomfort and believability of negative self-referential thoughts significantly greater than comparison conditions. Favorable results were also found for the defusion technique with participants with elevated depressive symptoms.