The Perceptual and Affective Components of Body Image Disturbances in Anorexic and Normal Females

1996 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 236-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Debbie C. Uys ◽  
Douglas R. Wassenaar

The literature is inundated with studies reporting the body image experiences of anorexia nervosa patients and normal weight people. Such studies have not, however, yielded consistent results. The present study reinvestigated the issue bearing in mind the theoretical and methodological limitations of previous research. The perceptual and affective aspects of body image were investigated in 11 white, female anorexic patients and 51 white, female psychology undergraduate university students. A combination of the movable caliper technique and image-marking procedure was used to assess body size perception, that is, the perceptual aspect, and the Body Cathexis scale was used to assess body satisfaction, that is, the affective aspect. It was found that anorexic females overestimate the width of their waist and thighs significantly more than normal females ( p < 0.05) and that they have a significantly lower body satisfaction ( p < 0.001). It was concluded that the DSM IV criterion of a disturbance in body image has specific diagnostic relevance in anorexia nervosa.

1981 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 224-227 ◽  
Author(s):  
David M. Garner

Despite much recent interest in the objective measurement of body image in anorexia nervosa, many questions remain regarding basic mechanisms responsible for the findings as well as their meaning in the disorder. It is unclear if “whole body” measures assess the same underlying phenomena as the “body part” method, and it is unclear if body image disturbances are etiologic or a byproduct of anorexia nervosa. The possible association between self-esteem and body satisfaction and the relationship of the latter variable to actual size estimation supports the hypothesis that size perception may be closely tied to satisfaction with non-physical aspects of self. Finally it must be determined if over estimation is a function of a general psychological disturbance or of a deficit of specific interest in this disorder. Despite these questions, the way in which anorexic patients see themselves as well as the cognitive and affective responses to this perception remains an interesting and potentially fruitful area of study with this disorder.


1982 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 715-722 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mirja Kalliopuska

Body-image disturbances are studied by the Draw-A-Person test given to the anorexia nervosa group of 32 and a control group of 30. The Machover scoring system was used. Two new scales were also constructed, the index of disturbed body image and the unity index of the body image. Machover's method differentiated groups from each other statistically significantly including the new ones: the unity index of body image made by Kalliopuska and Siimes in 1980 and Kalliopuska's index of disturbed body image in 1981. Factor analysis of items gave six factors: severe body-image disturbance, body-image adequacy, hostility, regression, unsureness and faltering in body image, and ego-identity problem. Body-image projections varied greatly as the nature of anorexia nervosa is multidimensional.


2013 ◽  
Vol 28 (S2) ◽  
pp. 24-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Hirot ◽  
D. Guardia ◽  
M. Lesage ◽  
P. Thomas ◽  
O. Cottencin

ObjectiveBody image disturbances are core symptoms of Anorexia Nervosa (AN). This study investigated self-face recognition in cases of AN, and the influence of others factors associated with AN, such as massive weight loss.MethodFifteen anorexic female patients and 15 matched Healthy Controls (HC) performed a self-face recognition task. Participants viewed digital morphs between their own face and a gender-matched, unfamiliar other face presented in a random sequence (Fig. 1). For each stimulus, subjects were asked if they recognized their own face, and respond by selectively pressing a button on a computer. Participants’ self-face recognition failures, cognitive flexibility, body concerns and eating habits were assessed, respectively, with the Self-Face Recognition Questionnaire (SFRQ), the Trail Marking Task (TMT), the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) and the Eating Disorder Inventory-2 (EDI-2).Fig. 1Examples of stimulus. For each subject, a photograph of an unfamiliar face was digitally morphed into a photograph of the subject's face in 10% increments.resultsAnorexic patients showed a significantly greater difficulty than healthy control in identifying their own face (P = 0.028, Fig. 2). No significant difference was observed between the two groups for TMT (all P > 0.1). However, analysis did not reveal significant correlations between behavioral data and the EDI-2 or BSQ (all P > 0.1). A correlation analysis revealed a significant, negative correlation with BMI (P < 0.001) and the SFRQ “self-face recognition” subscale (P = 0.015). Fig. 2Self response rates per stimulus ranked in increasing order of familiarity (other to self) in both groups.DiscussionWe observed a decrease in self-face recognition, correlated with BMI, suggesting this disturbance could be linked to massive weight loss. It thus supports the theory of a lack of ability to update body image by the central nervous system, underlying self-images distortion in AN patients.


1988 ◽  
Vol 153 (S2) ◽  
pp. 23-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew M. Whitehouse ◽  
Christopher P. L. Freeman ◽  
Annette Annandale

Clinicians who deal with patients with anorexia nervosa are well acquainted with their patients' inability to recognise their emaciation. The patients' insistence that they are normal weight or even overweight, against clear evidence to the contrary, led Bruch (1962) to state that the misperception reaches “delusional proportions”. Studies of body size perception in anorexia nervosa that have used the ‘body part’ method have invariably found that the patients overestimate their body size (Slade & Russell, 1973; Crisp & Kalucy, 1974; Pierloot & Houben, 1978; Garner et al, 1976; Button et al, 1977; Fries, 1977; Casper et al, 1979) but the majority have not found any significant difference in size estimation between patients and controls (Slade, 1985).


Author(s):  
Iasmim Batista Correia ◽  
Nathalie De Almeida Silva ◽  
Paulo Granges e Silva ◽  
Tarciana Nobre de Menezes

Aging leads to psychological losses and various physical changes that, associated with body-stereotyped patterns imposed by society, can cause disturbances in the body image perception (BIP) in the elderly. The aim of this study was to evaluate BIP in older adults living in the city of Campina Grande / PB and its relationship with different anthropometric and body composition indicators. This cross-sectional study was carried out with older adults of both sexes enrolled in the Family Health Strategy of Campina Grande, PB. BIP was considered as a dependent variable and body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), triceps skinfold (TSF), and arm fat area (AFA) as independent variables. The association between BIP and anthropometric indicators was verified using the Pearson chi-square test (X²), simple and multiple logistic regression, with significance level of p <0.05. Overall, 420 older adults were interviewed (68.1% women), of whom 409 reported their actual body image perception. Regarding the perception of idealized body image, 11 individuals did not respond and 230 were satisfied, since 179 desired another silhouette. Individuals with BMI indicative of overweight / obesity were more likely of showing body image dissatisfaction compared to those with normal weight. Subjects with excessive TSF showed greater body image dissatisfaction in relation to those with normal weight. Women were more likely of showing body image dissatisfaction. Thus, it was observed that variables BMI, TSF and sex were independently associated with body image satisfaction.


1993 ◽  
Vol 38 (7) ◽  
pp. 469-471 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clifford W. Sharp

A woman aged 58 who has been blind since the age of nine months presented with major depression and a 40 year history of an eating disorder characterized by a restriction of food intake and body disparagement. The case is additional evidence that a specifically visual body image is not essential for the development of anorexia nervosa and supports the view that the concept of body image is unnecessary and unproductive in eating disorders. Greater emphasis should be placed on attitudes and feelings toward the body, and the possibility of an eating disorder should be considered in cases of older women with an atypical presentation.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 319-341
Author(s):  
Ruvira Arindita

Previous researches showed that there is relation between body image satisfaction and depression in perinatal period. Given this fact, it is important to educate and find ways to enhance mothers’ postpartum self-esteem and body satisfaction. For the last decade body image literature has risen and brought to new discussion about body positivity. This research focuses on women’s body positivity campaign presented by Mothercare called #BodyProudMums. The objective of this research is to identify the storytelling elements used to promote women’s body positivity campaign and whether the issue creates good brand story for Mothercare. The concepts used are body positivity, postpartum, brand storytelling, and social media with qualitative content analysis as research method. The unit of analysis are ten posts of #BodyProudMums campaign on @mothercareuk, while the samples are three randomly chosen posts. This research notes that the body positivity messages of body appreciation, body acceptance, and love, as well as broad conceptualization of beauty are carried out by the elements of storytelling namely: basic plots (the quest), archetype (the change master) with the following story objectives: communicating who they are, fostering collaboration, transmitting values and sparking action. There are only three out of four elements of good brand story present on the campaign. However, the absence of humor element is justified because of the nature of the postpartum story in which it shares mothers’ hardship and how they finally cope with it. Therefore, it can be said that the issue of mothers’ body positivity creates good brand story for Mothercare. Key words: positive body image, postpartum, brand storytelling, social media


2016 ◽  
Vol 31 (6) ◽  
pp. 484-490 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamal H. Essayli ◽  
Jessica M. Murakami ◽  
Rebecca E. Wilson ◽  
Janet D. Latner

Purpose: To explore the psychological impact of weight labels. Design: A double-blind experiment that randomly informed participants that they were “normal weight” or “overweight.” Setting: Public university in Honolulu, Hawai‘i. Participants: Normal-weight and overweight female undergraduates (N = 113). Measures: The Body Image States Scale, Stunkard Rating Scale, Weight Bias Internalization Scale, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, General Health question from the 12-item Short Form Health Survey, modified version of the Weight Loss Methods Scale, and a manipulation check. Analysis: A 2 × 2 between-subjects analysis of variance explored the main effects of the assigned weight label and actual weight and interactions between assigned weight label and actual weight. Results: Significant main effects of the assigned weight label emerged on measures of body dissatisfaction, F(1, 109) = 12.40, p = .001, [Formula: see text] = 0.10, internalized weight stigma, F(1, 108) = 4.35, p = .039, [Formula: see text] = .04, and negative affect, F(1, 108) = 9.22, p = .003, [Formula: see text] = .08. Significant assigned weight label × actual weight interactions were found on measures of perceived body image, F(1, 109) = 6.29, p = .014, [Formula: see text] = .06, and perceived health, F(1, 109) = 4.18, p = .043, [Formula: see text] = .04. Conclusion: A weight label of “overweight” may have negative psychological consequences, particularly for overweight women.


Author(s):  
Rosalia Vazquez-Arevalo ◽  
Alberto Rodríguez Nabor ◽  
Xochitl López Aguilar ◽  
Juan Manuel Mancilla-Díaz

Abstract The objective of this research was to determine the body perception (BP) of preschoolers and compare it with the one reported by their parents. A total of 48 preschoolers participated (Mage = 5 years, SD = 0.5), 21 boys, 27 girls, and their parents (47 fathers and 48 mothers). The children were weighed and measured, also they answered the instrument Seven Figures of Collins (SFC) and seven questions about food, beauty and health. The parents answered the Body Image Questionnaire, the Stunkard Figures, as well as the SFCs to identify the real (RF) and ideal figure(IF) of their children. When children described themselves, they mostly referred the normal figure, coinciding with their parents. A very small proportion of preschoolers perceived themselves with obesity (around 29-30%); while any parent identified their children with obesity. 50% of preschoolers chose thinner silhouettes than their body mass index (BMI), but not emaciated. For RF, most parents chose normal weight for boys and light overweight for girls; for IF parents chose, for both sexes, the one with light overweight. In conclusion, the preschool BP disagreed between reality and perception, regardless of their BMI and gender. The parents also did not have an adequate BP for their children. Resumen El objetivo de esta investigación fue conocer la percepción corporal (PC) de preescolares y compararla con la que sus padres tienen de ellos. Participaron 48 preescolares (Medad = 5 años, DE = 0.5), 21 niños y 27 niñas, y sus padres (47 papás y 48 mamás). Los niños fueron pesados y medidos, contestaron el instrumento Siete Figuras de Collins (SFC) y, con relación a éste, siete preguntas sobre alimentación, belleza y salud. A los padres se les aplicó el Cuestionario de Imagen Corporal, las Figuras de Stunkard, además de las SFC para que identificaran la figura real (FR) e ideal (FI) de sus hijos. Para describirse, los preescolares refirieron mayormente la figura normopeso, coincidiendo con sus padres. Fue mínima la proporción de preescolares que se percibieron con obesidad (presente en 29-30%); mientras que ningún padre la identificó en sus hijos. El 50% de los preescolares eligió siluetas más delgadas a su índice de masa corporal (IMC), pero no emaciadas. Como FR, la mayoría de los padres eligió la normopeso para los niños y con sobrepeso ligero para las niñas; como FI eligieron, para ambos sexos, aquélla con sobrepeso ligero. En conclusión, la PC del preescolar discrepó entre la real y la percibida, independientemente de su IMC y sexo. Los padres tampoco tuvieron una adecuada PC de sus hijos.


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