Body Image Distortion in Bulimia Nervosa

1985 ◽  
Vol 147 (4) ◽  
pp. 408-412 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra A. Birtchnell ◽  
J. Hubert Lacey ◽  
Anne Harte
Keyword(s):  
Body Image ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Previous History ◽  
The Body ◽  
Size Estimation ◽  
Image Perception ◽  
Body Width ◽  
Duration Of Illness ◽  
Body Size Estimation ◽  
Visual Size

Body image perception was measured in 50 women with bulima nervosa and 19 age and weight matched female controls, using a visual size estimation apparatus. Both groups overestimated body widths, but not the width of a neutral object, and whilst there was a trend for bulimics to overestimate more than controls this did not reach significance. The part of the body most overestimated corresponded to the part most disliked in only a third of both groups. The bulimics without a previous history of anorexia nervosa overestimated body width more than those with such a history; this may be related to the fact that the former had a significantly greater weight index. Bulimics who were within 5% of mean-matched population weight overestimated body width less than the others, this difference reaching significance when compared with the heavier groups; a similar, but non-significant, trend was demonstrated in controls. This may be linked to a greater dissatisfaction with body size. Duration of illness, frequency of bingeing and self-induced vomiting were not shown significantly to alter body size estimation. The bulimics who completed a 10-session outpatient treatment programme subsequently demonstrated a significant decrease in overestimation of waist and hip width.

Body-Size Estimation in Anorexia Nervosa

1995 ◽  
Vol 81 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Enrico Molinari
Keyword(s):  
Body Image ◽  
Anorexia Nervosa ◽  
Body Size ◽  
The Body ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Size Estimation ◽  
Image Perception ◽  
Pelvic Area ◽  
Body Size Estimation ◽  
Different Parts

The aim was to explore the body-image perception of a group of 20 hospitalised anorexic patients, aged 18 to 21 years, undergoing a period of treatment. The instrument used was the Askevold nonverbal perception test as modified by Allamani and colleagues in 1978 to assess perception of the dimensions of different parts of the body by exploiting the capacity to project them into space. The four parts were the head, the thoracic area, the abdominal area, and the pelvic area. Analysis of responses indicated that anorexic patients overestimated the abdominal and the pelvic areas much more than the 20 members of the control group (50% vs 30%). The areas of the head and thorax were perceived almost in their real dimensions by the anorexic patients but were underestimated by the control group.

scholarly journals Perception of body image by patients undergoing bariatric surgery

2018 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
ROSANA MARIA RESENDE LACERDA ◽  
CHRISTIANE RAMOS CASTANHA ◽  
ALESSANDRA RAMOS CASTANHA ◽  
JOSEMBERG MARINS CAMPOS ◽  
ÁLVARO ANTÔNIO BANDEIRA FERRAZ ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bariatric Surgery ◽  
Body Image ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
The Body ◽  
Size Estimation ◽  
Image Perception ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Quantitative Studies ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Body Size Estimation

ABSTRACT Objective: to investigate changes in body image perception in patients undergoing bariatric surgery, evaluating the accuracy/inaccuracy in body size estimation and satisfaction/dissatisfaction with own body after surgery. Methods: we performed a survey at the General Surgery outpatient clinic of the Clinics Hospital of the Federal University of Pernambuco. Thirty-six patients aged 18 years and older undergoing bariatric surgery participated. We carried out cross-sectional and quantitative studies using the Silhouetted Figures Scale. Results: in the descriptive analysis of the distortion and dissatisfaction score of the patients with the body image, the mean distortion was positive (6.43kg/m²), indicating that most people see themselves greater than they really are. On the other hand, in the dissatisfaction, we found a negative mean (-6.91kg/m²), indicating that the majority of the patients evaluated had a “BMI” lower than the current one (that is, a smaller silhouette). Regarding satisfaction with silhouette size, only 11.8% of women liked the post-surgical result, while among men there was 50% satisfaction. Conclusion: Although bariatric surgery significantly reduced BMI, the patients presented, for the most part, dissatisfaction with body weight, perceiving it greater than it actually was, thus characterizing a perceptual inaccuracy.

Body Image Disturbance in Anorexia Nervosa: Beyond Body Image*

1989 ◽  
Vol 34 (9) ◽  
pp. 898-905 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aïda Warah
Keyword(s):  
Body Image ◽  
Anorexia Nervosa ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Cognitive Disorder ◽  
Body Image Disturbance ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Size Estimation ◽  
Image Perception ◽  
Body Image Perception ◽  
Body Size Estimation

In this paper the literature on body image disturbance in anorexic patients is reviewed. After a decade of experimental investigation of body image in anorexia nervosa, where old and new techniques have been used and where a large number of correlations have been identified, what do we really know? The findings have been conflicting but some regularities exist. It is hypothesized that the conflicting results may be related to the presence of different subgroups among anorexics and different types of body image disturbance. Body size estimation is only one dimension of body image perception. likewise, body size overestimation is only one aspect of body image perception. Likewise, body size over-estimation is only one aspect of body image disturbance. Some, but not all anorexics, overestimate their body size, and those who do, seem to have poor prognosis. Body size overestimation is not confined to anorexics. It is not known whether it is a function of a general perceptual/cognitive disorder, but it does seem to be stable over time. The implications of the presence of other psychiatric conditions in anorexic patients are discussed and suggestions for future research and for practice are made.

A Psychophysiologically Controlled Exposure Treatment of Severe Body Image Distortion in Eating Disorders

1996 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 223-233 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pau Pérez Sales ◽  
Rosa Calvo Sagardoy ◽  
Teresa Ferrer Gila
Keyword(s):  
Eating Disorders ◽  
Body Image ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Size Estimation ◽  
Exposure Treatment ◽  
Body Image Disorders ◽  
Controlled Exposure ◽  
Body Size Estimation ◽  
Image Problems

Although body image problems are a major prognostic factor in the course of eating disorders, its treatment has received little attention in the research literature. We present two psychophysiologically controlled cases of intensive exposure treatment with conflicting outcomes. Pre-post treatment assessments included measurements of body size estimation, body related avoidant attitudes and body dissatisfaction. In case 1, although dissatisfaction and avoidant attitudes decreased, body size overestimation remained basically unchanged. Case 2 did not improve. Psychophysiological recordings showed a covert avoidance of treatment stimuli. We discuss the pros and the cons of the treatment, and the implications for the use of exposure therapy in body image disorders.

scholarly journals The influence of bmi and psychological variables in the body size estimation among adult women

Psico ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 179
Author(s):  
Gabriela Salim Xavier ◽  
Sebastião Sousa Almeida
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
The Body ◽  
Adult Women ◽  
Size Estimation ◽  
Psychological Variables ◽  
Body Size Estimation

O objetivo desse estudo foi quantificar a estimação da imagem corporal para avaliar as variáveis que a influenciam – Índice de Massa Corporal (IMC), insatisfação com a imagem corporal e sintomas depressivos em mulheres eutróficas (n = 40) e com excesso de peso (n = 40). A avaliação da imagem corporal e dos sintomas depressivos foi conduzida por meio da Escala de Figuras de Silhuetas (EFS) e pelo Inventário de Depressão de Beck (BDI), em suas versões brasileiras, respectivamente. No grupo eutrófico, a insatisfação e a pontuação do BDI explicaram 55% e 12% da variação da estimação, respectivamente. No grupo com excesso de peso, a insatisfação com a imagem corporal foi responsável por 14% da variação da estimação da imagem corporal, enquanto o IMC, individualmente, por somente 9%. Quando avaliados em conjunto, esse percentual aumenta para 42%, indicando que juntos – IMC e insatisfação – agregam maior valor explicativo para essa variável. A insatisfação foi considerada a variável mais saliente, influenciando em maiores proporções os valores de estimação obtidos, particularmente entre as mulheres eutróficas.

scholarly journals The Effect of a Virtual-Reality Full-Body Illusion on Body Representation in Obesity

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 1330 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scarpina ◽  
Serino ◽  
Keizer ◽  
Chirico ◽  
Scacchi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Body Representation ◽  
The Body ◽  
Healthy Weight ◽  
Size Estimation ◽  
Estimation Task ◽  
Bodily Experience ◽  
Body Representations ◽  
Body Size Estimation ◽  
Full Body

Background. The effective illusory ownership over an artificial body in modulating body representations in healthy and eating disorders population has been repeatedly reported in recent literature. In this study, we extended this research in the field of obesity: specifically, we investigated whether ownership over a virtual body with a skinny abdomen might be successfully experienced by participants affected by obesity. Methods. Fifteen participants with obesity and fifteen healthy-weight participants took part at this study in which the VR-Full-Body Illusion was adopted. The strength of illusion was investigated through the traditional Embodiment Questionnaire, while changes in bodily experience were measured through a body size estimation task. Results. Participants with obesity as well as healthy-weight participants reported to experience the illusion. About the body size estimation task, both groups reported changes only in the estimation of the abdomen’s circumference after the experimental condition, in absence of any another difference. Discussion. Participants with obesity reported to experience the illusion over a skinny avatar, but the modulation of the bodily experience seems controversial. Future lines of research exploiting this technique for modulating body representations in obesity, specifically in terms of potential therapeutic use, were discussed.

scholarly journals Use of a real-life practical context changes the relationship between implicit body representations and real body measurements

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lize De Coster ◽  
Pablo Sánchez-Herrero ◽  
Jorge López-Moreno ◽  
Ana Tajadura-Jiménez
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Body ◽  
Body Measurements ◽  
Size Estimation ◽  
Body Representations ◽  
Concrete Body ◽  
Body Size Estimation ◽  
Abstract Condition

AbstractA mismatch exists between people’s mental representations of their own body and their real body measurements, which may impact general well-being and health. We investigated whether this mismatch is reduced when contextualizing body size estimation in a real-life scenario. Using a reverse correlation paradigm, we constructed unbiased, data-driven visual depictions of participants’ implicit body representations. Across three conditions—own abstract, ideal, and own concrete body—participants selected the body that looked most like their own, like the body they would like to have, or like the body they would use for online shopping. In the own concrete condition only, we found a significant correlation between perceived and real hip width, suggesting that the perceived/real body match only exists when body size estimation takes place in a practical context, although the negative correlation indicated inaccurate estimation. Further, participants who underestimated their body size or who had more negative attitudes towards their body weight showed a positive correlation between perceived and real body size in the own abstract condition. Finally, our results indicated that different body areas were implicated in the different conditions. These findings suggest that implicit body representations depend on situational and individual differences, which has clinical and practical implications.

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