Abstract
Background: Research on which specific maladaptive cognitions characterize eating disorders (ED) is lacking. This study explores irrational beliefs (IBs) in ED patients and controls and the association between IBs and ED-specific and non-specific ED symptomatology and cognitive reappraisal. Methods: 79 ED outpatients with anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or other specified feeding or eating disorders and 95 controls completed the Attitudes and Beliefs Scale-2 (ABS-2) for IBs. ED outpatients also completed the Eating Disorder Inventory-3 (EDI-3) for ED-specific (EDI-3-ED Risk) and non-specific (EDI-3-General Psychological Maladjustment) symptomatology; General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) for general psychopathology; Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) for cognitive reappraisal. Results: Multivariate analysis of variance with post hoc comparisons showed that ED outpatients exhibit greater ABS-2-Awfulizing, ABS-2-Negative Global Evaluations, and ABS-2-Low Frustration Tolerance than controls. No differences emerged between ED diagnoses. According to stepwise linear regression analyses, body mass index (BMI) and ABS-2-Awfulizing predicted greater EDI-3-ED Risk, while ABS-2-Negative Global Evaluations and GHQ predicted greater EDI-3-General Psychological Maladjustment and lower ERQ-Cognitive Reappraisal. Conclusion: Awfulizing and negative global evaluation contribute to better explaining ED-specific and non-specific ED symptoms and cognitive reappraisal. Therefore, including them, together with BMI and general psychopathology, when assessing ED patients and planning cognitive–behavioral treatment is warranted.
Highlights
The literature supports the clinical utility of cognitive–behavioral therapy (CBT)models and therapies in many psychopathologies [1], and they are often considered firstline treatment in mental health care [2,3]
Stepwise linear regression analyses adjusted for age, body mass index (BMI), and baseline General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) total scores were performed on eating disorders (ED) outpatients to determine the contribution of the specific irrational beliefs (IBs) in explaining the variance in Eating Disorder Inventory-3 (EDI-3)-ED
The current study found that ED outpatients report greater endorsement of all types of IBs when compared to general population controls
Summary
The literature supports the clinical utility of cognitive–behavioral therapy (CBT). models and therapies in many psychopathologies [1], and they are often considered firstline treatment in mental health care [2,3]. Research on IBs might be relevant in eating disorders (EDs), as there is a need to improve CBT treatment retention and outcome rates in this population [1] While cognitive features such as preoccupations regarding food, weight, and shape have been widely investigated in EDs, only a few studies examine other cognitively oriented conceptualization of maladaptive cognitions beyond strictly ED-related themes in this population [6,7,8,9]. Less is known about which specific types of IBs may characterize specific ED diagnoses and which specific IBs may have a role in ED core symptomatology, non-ED-specific psychopathology, and cognitive reappraisal Such an identification is warranted, since several authors have called for further research aimed at identifying which particular cognitive targets might contribute to better ED outcomes [17,18,19] and at offering additional empirical support for the mechanisms underlying widely used ED cognitive models [20,21]. It is expected that IBs will be more pronounced in ED patients compared to controls and that IBs will predict greater ED symptomatology, ED-related psychopathology, and greater cognitive reappraisal difficulties
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
