Stigmatization and knowledge of anorexia nervosa.

PURPOSE: To further understand the stigma, attitudes towards, and recognition of Anorexia Nervosa (AN), the current study utilized both stigma and mental health literacy methodology. This study also included another psychological disorder, major depressive disorder (MDD) and a normal, lonely female (C) as comparison conditions. METHODS: Male (291) and female (576) undergraduate students read a vignette describing one of the conditions. Participants then rated the vignettes on general personality characteristics, condition recognition, perceived seriousness and need for treatment. RESULTS: Many of the participants could not correctly identify AN. However, both AN and MDD were stigmatized. Although AN was rated as being very driven and disciplined, there was recognition that treatment was warranted. Familiarity with the conditions did not impact ratings. CONCLUSIONS: Continued efforts to reduce the stigma of AN and subsequent treatment seeking are warranted. The normal, lonely condition also being rated somewhat negatively highlights the need to include comparison conditions in stigma studies. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II, comparative study.

The Impact of Physician Demographic Characteristics on Perceptions of Their Attire.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Few studies address the impact of physician attire on ratings of personality characteristics in the presence of varied physician demographic characteristics (gender, racial/ethnic background). Even fewer have examined the boundaries of acceptable physician attire, given recent loosening of societal standards of dress. METHODS: Using an online survey methodology, adult participants (N=505; 45% medical professionals) were recruited. Participants rated target photos depicting a male and female individual from three ethnic/racial categories each dressed in business casual (with and without a white coat) or in professional attire (with and without a white coat) on a number of personality characteristics. General willingness to have physicians wear certain apparel items was also queried, as was the importance/acceptability of specific clothing items and appearance choices. Responses were analyzed by gender, age, ethnicity, and profession of respondent. RESULTS: Both business casual and professional attire were rated highly. A name tag had the highest ratings for importance of wear. The results for wearing a white coat were not as consistent as earlier studies as physicians were perceived as warmer and kinder when not wearing a lab coat, particularly with professional attire. However, female Caucasian physicians were rated most positively when wearing a lab coat. Consistent with previous studies, attire that was too casual (jeans, t-shirts) was rated negatively. CONCLUSIONS: The current study supports the notion that rules of attire are changing, even in the physician's office. Name tags were perceived to be crucial in medical settings, and casual clothing should be avoided. Despite often being considered a defining component of a physician's "uniform," the white lab coat may not be a universal positive and perhaps even a negative for some physicians.

Educators' views of eating disorder prevention programs.

Further understanding of educators' views of eating disorder prevention can further engage them in this effort. No previous studies of educators have used acceptability methodology or compared eating disorder prevention to other prevention efforts. Educators (n = 135) rated the acceptability of five sample programs and provided their opinions about eating disorder and other prevention programs. The results indicated primarily psychoeducational and general well-being programs were most acceptable. Educators-specified trained professionals should implement programs during school hours to male and female junior high students. Although eating disorder prevention was perceived as important, it was not rated as vital as other programs, such as substance abuse prevention.

Acceptability of programs for the prevention of eating disorders.

Researchers can overcome difficulties with recruitment and implementation encountered by previous eating disorder prevention efforts by understanding targeted groups' opinions about such programs. Treatment acceptability methodology provides a framework to examine the social validity of interventions. Using this methodology, the acceptability of programs was examined with an often-targeted group. The study also assessed opinions of this group about the importance of prevention and methods of implementation. Male and female undergraduates (N = 347) rated the acceptability of sample programs. Results indicated that programs focused on information about eating disorders and their consequences were rated most acceptable. Participants felt programs should be offered to adolescents, within the school system, but ratings of the importance of eating disorder prevention were somewhat disappointing.

The Body Logic Program for Adolescents: a treatment manual for the prevention of eating disorders.

The Body Logic Program for Adolescents was developed as a two-stage intervention to prevent the development of eating disorder symptoms. Preliminary results indicate that this program shows promise as an effective prevention effort. The current article provides a detailed description of the protocol for implementing Body Logic Part I, a school-based intervention. A brief review of Body Logic Part II, an intensive family-based intervention for high-risk students, is also provided. Examples of exercises are introduced and goals for practitioners are discussed. The authors hope that by providing this in-depth description of the protocol, researchers and clinicians can use this program in future prevention efforts.

The validity of subjective measures of body image disturbance.

OBJECTIVE: We examined weight dissatisfaction (actual weight minus self-stated ideal weight) and weight goal (normative weight minus self-stated ideal weight) subjective indices in a large clinical sample to determine how the indices discriminate between diagnostic categories and relate to other measures of body image disturbance. METHOD: Approximately 200 anorexic, bulimic, and eating disorder not otherwise specified (NOS) participants reported their self-stated ideal weight and completed the Mizes Anorectic Cognitions (MAC) Questionnaire, Eating Disorders Inventory (EDI), and Restraint Scale-Revised. RESULTS: Compared with bulimic and NOS participants, anorexics reported less weight dissatisfaction but had an ideal weight that is farthest from normative weight. The weight dissatisfaction measure correlates well with other measures of body image disturbance, and both measures show evidence of discriminant validity. DISCUSSION: These two measures highlight the substantial differences in the nature of body image disturbance between the eating disorder diagnostic groups. Theoretical, clinical, and practical implications are discussed.