From eating identity to authentic selfhood: Identity transformation in eating disorder sufferers following psychotherapy

Clin Psychology and Psychoth

Melli

et al. 2017

Increasingly, cognitive-behavioural models have been considering the role of beliefs about the self in the development and maintenance of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), including sensitive domains of self-concept and feared self-perceptions. This has led to the development of the Fear of Self Questionnaire (FSQ; Aardema et al., ), which has shown strong internal consistency, divergent and convergent validity, and found to be a major predictor of unwanted thoughts and impulses (i.e., repugnant obsessions). The current study aimed to investigate fear of self-perceptions using the FSQ in an OCD sample (n = 144) and related psychological disorders (eating disorders, n = 57; body dysmorphic disorder, n = 33) in comparison to a non-clinical (n = 141) and clinical comparison group (anxiety/depressive disorders, n = 27). Following an exploratory factor analysis of the scale in the OCD sample, the results showed that participants with OCD in general did not score significantly higher on fear of self-perceptions than did the clinical comparison participants. However, consistent with previous findings, fear of self was highly characteristic among OCD patients with unwanted repugnant thoughts and impulses. In addition, fear of self-perceptions were significantly more elevated in those with eating or body dysmorphic disorders relative to the other non-clinical and clinical groups. The construct of a "feared possible self" may be particularly relevant in disorders where negative self-perception is a dominant theme, either involving concerns about one's inner self or concerns related to perceived bodily faults.

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of feared possible selves in obsessive–compulsive and related disorders: A comparative analysis of a core cognitive self‐construct in clinical samples

Aardema

Clin Psychology and Psychoth

Melli

et al. 2017

“…Our sample was somewhat heterogeneous in their recovery stage and age, especially in comparison to previous studies (Cruzat-Mandich, Díaz-Castrillón, Escobar-Koch, & Simpson, 2017;Ison & Kent, 2010;Petersson et al, 2017). Our sample was somewhat heterogeneous in their recovery stage and age, especially in comparison to previous studies (Cruzat-Mandich, Díaz-Castrillón, Escobar-Koch, & Simpson, 2017;Ison & Kent, 2010;Petersson et al, 2017).…”

Section: Limitationsmentioning

confidence: 46%

“…Despite the consistency of our findings with prior research, there are limitations. Our sample was somewhat heterogeneous in their recovery stage and age, especially in comparison to previous studies (Cruzat-Mandich, Díaz-Castrillón, Escobar-Koch, & Simpson, 2017;Ison & Kent, 2010;Petersson et al, 2017). Additionally, this sample had a high number of women with AN relative to the population of women with EDs, where AN is typically much less common (Stice, Marti, Shaw, & Jaconis, 2009).…”

Section: Limitationsmentioning

confidence: 88%

Perfectionism as a social identity in eating disorders: A qualitative investigation of identity navigation

Bouguettaya

Klas

Australian Psychologist

et al. 2019

Objective Socially prescribed perfectionism is considered an important contributor to eating disorder (ED) development and maintenance. Despite this fact, it is unclear how social groups apply this pressure to be perfect, and how this pressure originates and manifests. Our research sought to clarify how group membership relates to perfectionism in EDs. Method Using a Social Identity Approach to understand how social identities (i.e., identities arising from group membership) relate to perfectionism in EDs, we performed semi‐structured interviews with 10 Australian women (ages: 19–34) in recovery from EDs. Results Using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis, we found participants suggested personal perfectionism (manifested as self‐control) developed from family standards. Conversely, social perfectionism was a role born from social norms embedded in relevant social groups, and provided definition for perfection. Greater flexibility in defining perfection broadly was reported as important to recovery. Conclusion The results support taking a Social Identity Approach to perfectionism and recovery in EDs. Our research suggests that clinicians should focus on redefining social norms as a potential method to reducing the negative consequences of perfectionism, potentially through the use of group cognitive behavioural therapy to change perfectionism definitions.

“…Our study also extends on previous evidence suggesting that impulse control, perfectionism, and DE are linked (Cruzat‐Mandich, Díaz‐Castrillón, Escobar‐Koch & Simpson, ). In this qualitative study, researchers identified that women with eating disorders tended to discuss how self‐control provided a sense of perfection, and that failure of achieve these standards of perfection caused intense distress (Cruzat‐Mandich et al ., ). Following from this evidence and our study, we believe that understanding how a specific form of perfectionism pressure (e.g., from fellow women) relates to impulsivity may lead to better clinical outcomes for reducing DE.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The relationships between socially prescribed perfectionism, in‐group affect, negative urgency, and disordered eating in women

Bouguettaya

Scandinavian J Psychology

King

et al. 2019

Socially prescribed perfectionism (SPP) is often considered as a key risk factor for disordered eating (DE). However, current conceptualizations of SPP largely assume that this perfectionism pressure is non‐specific (i.e., a global pressure), despite research indicating that for females experiencing DE, female‐dominated groups impose this pressure (as a perceived norm). Furthermore, this relationship may be mediated by a negative reaction to this pressure, in the form of impulsivity (or negative urgency). To date, no research has investigated whether the relationship between SPP and DE is mediated by negative urgency, nor has there been research clarifying how in‐group identification relates to DE, independent of SPP and negative urgency. To address these gaps, we assessed these variables in 147 female dieters (Mage = 25.12 years, SD = 3.08) using a cross‐sectional design. Consistent with our hypotheses, negative urgency fully mediated the link between female‐based SPP and disordered eating, while female‐based in‐group affect (identification) was predictive of disordered eating (although the latter relationship was not sustained in a multiple regression model). These findings suggest that the SPP from other women may relate to DE through increasing negative urgency, and that the link between in‐group (female) affect and DE may be better explained by SPP's link to DE.