An application of expectancy theory to eating disorders: Development and validation of measures of eating and dieting expectancies.

Abstract

Instruments for measuring learned expectations for reinforcement from eating and from dieting and thinness were constructed and validated. Five eating reinforcement expectancies and 1 dietingthinness reinforcement expectancy were identified and their factor structure replicated on an independent sample. The expectancy that dieting and thinness lead to overgeneralized self-improvement characterized bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa patients and correlated with dieting behavior in a general sample. Expectancies for negative reinforcement from eating (e.g., eating helps manage negative affect) characterized bulimic but not anorexic individuals and were correlated with indexes of restraint plus disinhibition in a general sample. Positive reinforcement expectancies (e.g., eating is pleasurable and rewarding) were unrelated to disinhibited eating, but anorexic patients expected significantly less positive reinforcement from eating than did bulimic patients or controls.The aim of the present investigation was to develop reliable and valid measures of women's learned expectations for reinforcement from dieting and thinness and from eating. This effort represents an application of expectancy learning theory to the problem of eating disorders and has merit for two reasons. First, expectancy formulations have been applied fruitfully to a number of areas in psychology: They have informed both etiological and treatment models in the alcohol field (cf. Darkes & Goldman, 1993;Smith, Goldman, Greenbaum, & Christiansen, 1995) and have been applied to such diverse phenomena as operant conditioning, psychopathology, interpersonal processes, affect, hypnosis, and placebo effects (Goldman, Brown, Christiansen, & Smith, 1991). Second, expectancy operations appear implicit in a number of current eating disorder constructs, as described below.

The Skinny on Body Dissatisfaction: A Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Girls and Boys

“…The TREI has adequate internal consistency (α = . 98), test-retest reliability (r = .80), and convergent validity (Hohlstein et al, 1998). Because it has been demonstrated that the ideal body type for boys differs from that of girls (Smolak, Levine & Thompson, 2001) items were modified to reflect the expected benefits from achieving leanness and muscularity as well as thinness for males.…”

“…The Thinness and Restricting Expectancy Inventory (TREI; Hohlstein, Smith, & Atlas, 1998) assessed ideal-body internalization for the girls. Participants indicated their level of agreement with statements concerning expected social and psychological benefits from achieving thinness using a 5-point response format ranging from 1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree.…”

The role of anxiety in binge eating behavior: a critical examination of theory and empirical literature

“…Specifically, in regard to binge eating, it has been suggested that individuals who engage in binge eating may do so as a result of a learned association between distress reduction and this behavior. 20 Some research has supported that regulation of negative affect is an expectancy learned with binge eating. 20,[22][23][24] In at least one longitudinal study, the expectancy that eating helps to manage negative affect predicted binge eating.…”

“…20 Some research has supported that regulation of negative affect is an expectancy learned with binge eating. 20,[22][23][24] In at least one longitudinal study, the expectancy that eating helps to manage negative affect predicted binge eating. 22 …”

“…20,21 This theory suggests that the relation between specific eating behaviors, and the consequences that follow these behaviors, inform future eating behaviors. Specifically, in regard to binge eating, it has been suggested that individuals who engage in binge eating may do so as a result of a learned association between distress reduction and this behavior.…”