Abstract
This study investigated the effects of expressive writing on body image of women varying in eating disorder symptomatology. Ninety-two female undergraduates were randomly assigned to the writing topic conditions: traumatic events, body image, and room description. At three times (before, immediately after, and one month after the two-week intervention), participants selected from among nine figures (a) the figure deemed closest to their current figure, (b) the figure deemed closest to the ideal figure, and (c) the figure deemed closest to the figure that men prefer. The current figure ratings decreased after the writing intervention for the high-symptom group but not the low-symptom group. The ideal and male-preferred figure ratings were not affected by the intervention and did not differ between the symptom level groups. Based on the first finding, writing may improve body image perceptions in women with an already distorted body image.
Highlights
Misperception or distortion of body image is so often associated with eating disorders that the American Psychiatric Association (2000) includes “a disturbance in perception of body shape and weight” (p. 583) as an essential feature of anorexia and bulimia
The between-subjects factors were writing condition and symptom group, and body mass index (BMI) was included as a covariate
Since this study showed that women with higher levels of eating disorder symptomatology had an improvement in body image after a writing task, perhaps this paradigm can be used with women with eating disorders
Summary
Misperception or distortion of body image is so often associated with eating disorders that the American Psychiatric Association (2000) includes “a disturbance in perception of body shape and weight” (p. 583) as an essential feature of anorexia and bulimia. While past research has shown expressive writing to be much more therapeutic than factual writing for individuals with a variety of physical and psychological problems (Eels, 2006; Graf et al, 2008; Kallay & Baban, 2008; Klein & Boals, 2001; Kuiken et al, 2008; Low et al, 2010; Pachankis & Goldfried, 2010; Pennebake et al, 1990; Pennebaker et al, 1987; Pennebaker et al, 1988; Slatcher & Pennebaker, 2006; Sloan et al, 2009; Sloan et al, 2008; Smyth et al, 2008; Sper et al, 1994; Yogo & Fujihara, 2008), the current literature does not suggest that the same is true for body image and eating disorder symptoms. The primary research questions addressed (a) whether women who are asymptomatic differ from women who are symptomatic in how they respond on a body image questionnaire before writing, (b) whether type of writing affects how these two groups of women respond on a body image questionnaire immediately after writing, and (c) whether type of writing affects how these two groups of women respond on a body image questionnaire one month later
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