Uncontrolled, Repetitive Eating of Small Amounts of Food or ‘Grazing’: Development and Evaluation of a New Measure of Atypical Eating

2013 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 57-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brigitte Lane ◽  
Marianna Szabó
Keyword(s):  
Binge Eating ◽  
Negative Emotion ◽  
Temporal Stability ◽  
Eating Behaviour ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Loss Of Control ◽  
Eating Pattern ◽  
Study Questionnaire ◽  
Report Measure

Grazing, or the uncontrolled, repetitive eating of small amounts of food is being increasingly recognised as an important eating behaviour associated with obesity. In spite of the need for a better understanding of this eating behaviour for improved obesity treatment, currently there is no empirically validated self-report measure to assess grazing. Therefore, to contribute to a better understanding of this relatively understudied eating pattern, a new self-report questionnaire of grazing was developed in this study. Questionnaire items were designed to reflect previous empirical descriptions of grazing. A group of 248 university students completed the Grazing Questionnaire, other measures of eating-related behaviours and cognitions, and negative emotion. Sixty-two participants completed the Grazing Questionnaire a second time to calculate its temporal stability. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a clear two-factor solution for the questionnaire, reflecting repetitive eating behaviour and a perception of loss of control. Scores on the Grazing Questionnaire were positively associated with other measures of disordered eating, especially with binge eating. Initial psychometric properties of the new questionnaire are promising. Future research is now needed to examine the prevalence of this eating behaviour in more diverse populations, including those with binge eating disorder and obesity.

scholarly journals Eating habits and appetite control: a psychobiological perspective

1999 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-67 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter J. Rogers
Keyword(s):  
Weight Control ◽  
Dietary Habits ◽  
Cultural Practices ◽  
Eating Habits ◽  
Eating Behaviour ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Appetite Control ◽  
Physiological Control ◽  
Eating Pattern ◽  
Disordered Eating Patterns

An individual's eating behaviour is shaped by factors ranging from economic conditions and cultural practices to biological influences. The physiological system controlling appetite appears to be adapted to solving the problem of an unevenness of food supply across time, and is fairly permissive in its response to undereating and overeating. Consequently, when food is abundant, the diet is energy dense and energy expenditure is low, there is a strong tendency to become obese (i.e. obesity is better viewed as due to a ‘toxic’ environment than to faulty physiological control of appetite). Under such conditions the most common method of avoiding obesity is through the cognitive control of eating. However, dietary restraint and dieting are demanding tasks, and are associated with psychological costs, including significant impairment of cognitive performance. Restraint is also prone to disinhibition, with the result that it can sometimes undermine eating control, even leading to the development of highly disordered eating patterns. In part, these difficulties are due to the self-perpetuating nature of dietary habits: for example, hunger tends to be diminished during strict unbroken dieting, but increased in individuals having a highly variable eating pattern (such as occurs when eating is frequently disinhibited). These features of appetite control provide both barriers and opportunities for changing behaviour. Accordingly, there is a need for future research to focus on the psycho-social factors and the dieting practices predicting successful eating and weight control, with the objective of identifying the actual cognitive and behavioural strategies used by the many dieters and restrained eaters who are able to achieve weight loss and maintain long-term weight stability.

scholarly journals A Critical Evaluation of the Reflective Functioning Questionnaire

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sascha Müller ◽  
Leon Patrick Wendt ◽  
Carsten Spitzer ◽  
Oliver Masuhr ◽  
Sarah N. Back ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Sample ◽  
Critical Evaluation ◽  
Reflective Functioning ◽  
Mental States ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Cast Doubt ◽  
Psychological Impairment ◽  
Latent Dimension ◽  
Report Measure

The Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (RFQ-8) is a short self-report measure of reflective functioning (i.e., the ability to understand mental states of the self and others) that is presumed to capture individual differences in hypo- and hypermentalizing. Despite its broad acceptance by the field and its regular use in primary investigations of the construct, we argue that the validity of the measure is still not well established. The current research elaborates on why the proposed scoring procedure may be methodologically problematic, the item content might not sufficiently cover the full breadth of the mentalizing construct, and it is unclear whether the measure captures mentalizing processes in particular or rather general psychological impairment. In a clinical sample (N = 861) and a sample of young adults (N = 566), we explore these critical considerations and demonstrate that the RFQ-8 may assess a single latent dimension related to hypomentalizing, but provides little unique variance above and beyond broad dimensions of personality pathology and is unlikely to capture maladaptive forms of hypermentalizing. The findings cast doubt on the validity of the RFQ-8 as a measure of reflective functioning. Future research should increase validation efforts concerning the RFQ-8 or develop new measures of reflective functioning.

scholarly journals Beliefs about Binge Eating: Psychometric Properties of the Eating Beliefs Questionnaire (EBQ-18) in Eating Disorder, Obese, and Community Samples

Nutrients ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 1306 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy Burton ◽  
Deborah Mitchison ◽  
Phillipa Hay ◽  
Brooke Donnelly ◽  
Christopher Thornton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Eating Disorder ◽  
Binge Eating ◽  
Psychometric Properties ◽  
Psychological Treatment ◽  
Clinical Sample ◽  
Eating Behaviour ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Diagnostic Feature ◽  
Metacognitive Beliefs

Binge eating is a core diagnostic feature of bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, anorexia nervosa binge/purge type, and is a common feature of “other specified” and “unspecified” feeding and eating disorders. It has been suggested that specific metacognitive beliefs about food, eating, and binge eating may play a key role in the maintenance of binge eating behaviour. The Eating Beliefs Questionnaire (EBQ-18) provides a brief self-report assessment tool measuring three types of metacognitive beliefs: negative, positive, and permissive beliefs about food and eating. This study aimed to build on past research by validating the factor structure and psychometric properties of the EBQ-18 using both a clinical and non-clinical sample. A sample of 688 participants (n = 498 non-clinical participants, n = 161 participants seeking treatment for an eating disorder, and n = 29 participants seeking treatment for obesity) completed a battery of questionnaires, including the EBQ-18 and other measures of eating disorder symptoms and relevant constructs. A subset of 100 non-clinical participants completed the test battery again after an interval of two-weeks, and 38 clinical participants completed the EBQ-18 before and after receiving psychological treatment for their eating disorder. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted and psychometric properties of this measure were assessed. The results of this study provide support for the three-factor model of the EBQ-18. In addition, the EBQ-18 was found to be a valid and reliable measure, with excellent internal consistency, good test-retest reliability in the non-clinical sample, and also demonstrated evidence of sensitivity to treatment in clinical samples with binge eating pathology. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were used to identify optimal cut-off scores for the EBQ-18. This study provides valuable information about the utility of the EBQ-18 as a measure for use in both clinical and research settings.

Motivations for Self-Defensive Aggression in Dating Relationships

2010 ◽  
Vol 25 (5) ◽  
pp. 662-676 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan C. Shorey ◽  
Christine Meltzer ◽  
Tara L. Cornelius
Keyword(s):  
Dating Violence ◽  
Physical Aggression ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Female College Students ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Dating Relationships ◽  
Self Defense ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Report Measure

Previous research has suggested that the occurrence of dating violence is influenced by various motivations, including self-defense. While some data have suggested that females are more likely to use physical aggression in self-defense, assessment measures of self-defense have been limited in several notable ways, hindering efforts at fully understanding the myriad of reasons contributing to self-defensive aggression. The current study sought to examine motivations for physical aggression among male and female college students using a contextual self-report measure of self-defensive aggression designed specifically for the current study. Results showed that numerous motivations for physical aggression were endorsed by both males and females and, contrary to expectations, females were not more likely to use aggression in self-defense. Implications of these findings for future research and dating violence prevention programming are discussed.

Impairments in working memory associated with spontaneous dieting behaviour

1998 ◽  
Vol 28 (5) ◽  
pp. 1063-1070 ◽  
Author(s):  
MICHAEL W. GREEN ◽  
PETER J. ROGERS
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Cognitive Processing ◽  
Body Shape ◽  
Working Memory Capacity ◽  
Eating Behaviour ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Phonological Loop ◽  
Restrained Eaters ◽  
Tower Of London ◽  
Report Measure

Background. The current study investigated the fundamental nature of the cognitive processing deficit that has been demonstrated to be associated with dieting to lose weight. Previous work has characterized this deficit as being primarily one of a reduction in working-memory capacity. The present study investigated the particular components of the working-memory system affected during dieting.Method. A sample of female subjects was classified as either low/medium restrained eaters (N=34), highly restrained eaters (N=18) or current dieters (N=19), based on their responses to a modified version of the Dutch Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (DEBQ). Each subject completed tasks that assessed the Visuo-Spatial Sketchpad (mental rotation), Phonological Loop (effect of phonological similarity on recall) and the Central Executive (Tower of London Task) components of working memory.Results. Those subjects who reported themselves to be currently dieting displayed poorer recall on the Phonological Loop task and slower planning times on the Tower of London Task. Performance on both these tasks correlated significantly with a self-report measure of body shape concern.Conclusions. These results support the hypothesis that the mediating variable in this deficit is that of preoccupying cognitions concerning food and body shape.

scholarly journals Affect Dysregulation in Context: Implications and Future Directions of Experience Sampling Research on Affect Regulation Models of Loss of Control Eating

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan E. Mikhail
Keyword(s):  
Negative Affect ◽  
Affect Regulation ◽  
Negative Emotion ◽  
Experience Sampling ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Loss Of Control ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Loss Of Control Eating ◽  
Sampling Studies ◽  
Regulation Model

Loss of control eating is a core, transdiagnostic eating disorder symptom associated with psychological distress, functional impairment, and reduced quality of life. However, the factors that contribute to persistent loss of control eating despite negative consequences are not fully understood. Understanding the mechanisms that maintain loss of control eating is crucial to advance treatments that interrupt these processes. Affect regulation models of loss of control eating hypothesize that negative emotions trigger loss of control eating, and that loss of control eating is negatively reinforced because it temporarily decreases negative affect. Several variations on this basic affect regulation model have been proposed, including theories suggesting that negative affect decreases during loss of control eating rather than afterwards (escape theory), and that loss of control eating replaces one negative emotion with another that is less aversive (trade-off theory). Experience sampling designs that measure negative affect and eating behavior multiple times per day are optimally suited to examining the nuanced predictions of these affect regulation models in people's everyday lives. This paper critically reviews experience sampling studies examining associations between negative affect and loss of control eating, and discusses the implications for different affect regulation models of loss of control eating. The review concludes by proposing an expanded affect-focused model of loss of control eating that incorporates trait-level individual differences and momentary biological and environmental variables to guide future research. Clinical implications and recommendations are discussed.

Critique of the Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles

2019 ◽  
Vol 64 (9) ◽  
pp. 903-921
Author(s):  
Sarah Tonks ◽  
Zoe Stephenson
Keyword(s):  
Psychometric Properties ◽  
Reliability And Validity ◽  
Criminal Activity ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Thinking Styles ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Validity Scales ◽  
Criminal Thinking ◽  
Psychological Inventory ◽  
Report Measure

The Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles (PICTS) is a self-report measure which is given to individuals who have been involved in criminal activity or are known to the Criminal Justice System. Although the PICTS is extensively used and its psychometric properties supported within the research, no critique has yet specifically assessed its utility with forensic populations. Therefore, the aim of the critique was to analyse the scientific and psychometric properties of the PICTS. Adaptions have been made to the PICTS from the first to the fourth revision due to issues with the reliability and validity of the measure. Although the PICTS does have satisfactory internal and retest reliability, the reliability of the validity scales within the measure has continued to be poor. Furthermore, no independent research on the measure has been undertaken. As such, gaps in research and issues that need to be addressed have been highlighted. Practical implications, limitations, and future research are also discussed.

scholarly journals Emotional eating in healthy individuals and patients with an eating disorder: evidence from psychometric, experimental and naturalistic studies

2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (3) ◽  
pp. 290-299 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Reichenberger ◽  
Rebekka Schnepper ◽  
Ann-Kathrin Arend ◽  
Jens Blechert
Keyword(s):  
Food Intake ◽  
Binge Eating ◽  
Emotional Eating ◽  
Daily Life ◽  
Negative Emotions ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Eating Behaviour ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Healthy Individuals ◽  
General Validity

Emotional eating has traditionally been defined as (over)eating in response to negative emotions. Such overeating can impact general health because of excess energy intake and mental health, due to the risks of developing binge eating. Yet, there is still significant controversy on the validity of the emotional eating concept and several theories compete in explaining its mechanisms. The present paper examines the emotional eating construct by reviewing and integrating recent evidence from psychometric, experimental and naturalistic research. Several psychometric questionnaires are available and some suggest that emotions differ fundamentally in how they affect eating (i.e. overeating, undereating). However, the general validity of such questionnaires in predicting actual food intake in experimental studies is questioned and other eating styles such as restrained eating seem to be better predictors of increased food intake under negative emotions. Also, naturalistic studies, involving the repeated assessment of momentary emotions and eating behaviour in daily life, are split between studies supporting and studies contradicting emotional eating in healthy individuals. Individuals with clinical forms of overeating (i.e. binge eating) consistently show positive relationships between negative emotions and eating in daily life. We will conclude with a summary of the controversies around the emotional eating construct and provide recommendations for future research and treatment development.

Binge Eating and Its Management

1982 ◽  
Vol 141 (6) ◽  
pp. 631-633 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher G. Fairburn
Keyword(s):  
Anorexia Nervosa ◽  
Bulimia Nervosa ◽  
Binge Eating ◽  
Weight Control ◽  
Normal Weight ◽  
Loss Of Control ◽  
Normal Range ◽  
Eating Pattern ◽  
Normal Weight Control

It is well recognized that bouts of uncontrolled and excessive eating (binges) occur in both a small proportion of patients who are overweight and in about 50 per cent of patients with anorexia nervosa. However, it has only recently been appreciated that many people who fall into neither category also have an eating disorder which is principally characterized by episodes of binge-eating. These people experience a profound and distressing loss of control over eating which results in a grossly disturbed eating pattern. Despite this, their body weight tends to lie within the normal range. The disorder has attracted various names including ‘the dietary chaos syndrome’ (Palmer, 1979), ‘the abnormal normal weight control syndrome’ (Crisp, 1979), ‘bulimia nervosa’ (Russell, 1979), and simply ‘bulimia’ (DSM III, 1980). The term bulimia nervosa is probably the most satisfactory since it conveys the links with anorexia nervosa and emphasises the central role of binge-eating. Russell (1979) proposed the following diagnostic criteria for this syndrome:

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