Can the dot probe task detect food-related attentional biases in restrained eaters?

Abstract

Three studies explored whether food-related attentional biases (orientation/disengagement) can be found in non-clinically restrained eaters using dot probe tasks. It was hypothesised that highly restrained eaters (compared to unrestrained eaters) would be quicker to identify probes appearing in the same location as food compared to neutral pictures. Food/neutral picture pairs were presented for 200 ms (orientation) and 2000 ms (disengagement). In study one, 60 females divided into high (n = 29)/low (n = 31) restraint groups showed no evidence of attentional bias (orientation or disengagement). Both groups had negative mean bias scores indicating slight attentional avoidance of food. In study two, 60 females divided into high (n = 29)/low (n = 31) restraint groups completed a modified dot probe task based on image ratings. Again, no evidence of attentional bias was found amongst either participant group. In study three, 77 females divided into negative (n = 38) and neutral (n = 39) mood groups received a mood induction prior to completing a further modified dot probe task based on additional image ratings. There was no evidence of attentional bias, and no effect of restrained eating and/or mood on attention processing. These findings challenge the long-established theory that restrained eaters display biased attention processing of food, thought to maintain and exacerbate eating-related concerns. Therefore, the need for attention retraining amongst non-clinical females with eating-related concerns is also called into question. However, a few methodological limitations of the research could have contributed to null findings, and it is possible that attentional bias for food is only present in clinical eating disorder patients.