Abstract
The scientific literature has suggested that stress undergirds the development of eating disorders (ED). Therefore, this study explored whether laboratory induced stress increases self-reported drive for thinness and bulimic symptoms measured via self-report. The relationship between control, perfectionism, stress, and cognition related to ED was examined using correlational methodology. Eighty-six participants completed an experimental task using a personal computer (PC). All individuals completed a battery of tests before and after the stressful task. Analyses showed a significant statistical increase in average scores on the drive for thinness and bulimia measured before and after a stressful task, and path analysis revealed two different cognitive models for the mechanism leading to drive for thinness and bulimia. These findings suggest that stress is an important factor in the development of the drive for thinness and bulimia.
Highlights
Stressful situations and major life events are widely known to negatively affect eating habits both in humans and in animal models (Wallis and Hetherington, 2004)
Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) results demonstrated that the variables control, perfectionism, and stress predicted drive for thinness (Figure 1)
The results of the present study can be interpreted as providing possible support to the hypothesis that stress is a factor related to some cognitive features widely associated with eating disorders (ED)
Summary
Stressful situations and major life events are widely known to negatively affect eating habits both in humans and in animal models (Wallis and Hetherington, 2004). A reaction to stress occurs when there is a gap between the demands of a given situation and the coping responses of the individual, which in turn reflects the psychosocial resources available to him/her (Lowe and Kral, 2005). A study found that men exposed to simulated stress in a laboratory context ate significantly less than control subjects (Lowe and Kral, 2005). Another experimental study showed no significant effects of exposure to stress on women’s eating behavior, there was a trend toward a modest increase in consumption of sweet and salty foods (Grunberg and Straub, 1992). Restrictive eaters who intentionally monitor or restrict food intake to maintain or lose weight tended to consume more energetic and fatty foods in stressful conditions than non-restrained eaters (Heatherton et al, 1991; Polivy and Herman, 1999)
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