ObjectiveCognitive theories suggest that body dissatisfaction results from the activation of maladaptive appearance schemata, which guide mental processes such as selective attention to shape and weight-related information. In line with this, the present study hypothesized that patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) are characterized by increased visual attention for the most dissatisfying/ugly body part compared to their most satisfying/beautiful body part, while a more balanced viewing pattern was expected for controls without eating disorders (CG).MethodEye movements were recorded in a group of patients with AN (n = 16), BN (n = 16) and a CG (n = 16) in an ecologically valid setting, i.e., during a 3-min mirror exposure.ResultsEvidence was found that patients with AN and BN display longer and more frequent gazes towards the most dissatisfying relative to the most satisfying and towards their most ugly compared to their most beautiful body parts, whereas the CG showed a more balanced gaze pattern.DiscussionThe results converge with theoretical models that emphasize the role of information processing in the maintenance of body dissatisfaction. Given the etiological importance of body dissatisfaction in the development of eating disorders, future studies should focus on the modification of the reported patterns.

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ObjectivePrevious research has yielded evidence of increased attentional processing of negatively valenced body parts in women with anorexia nervosa (AN), especially for those with high depressive symptomatology. The present study extended previous research by implementing an experimental mood manipulation.MethodIn a within-subjects design, female adolescents with AN (n = 12) and an age matched female control group (CG; n = 12) were given a negative and a positive mood induction at a one-week interval. After each mood induction, participants underwent a 3-min mirror exposure, while their eye movements were recorded.ResultsAfter the positive mood induction, both AN and CG participants displayed longer and more frequent gazes towards their self-defined most ugly relative to their self-defined most beautiful body part. However, after the negative mood induction, only females with AN were characterized by increased attention to their most ugly compared to their most beautiful body part, while CG participants’ attention distribution was balanced. Furthermore, in the negative (but not in the positive) mood induction condition gaze frequency and duration towards the most ugly body part was significantly stronger in the AN group relative to the CG.DiscussionThe results emphasize the role of negative mood in the maintenance of pathological information processing of the self-body. This increased body-related negativity-bias during negative mood may lead to the persistence and aggravation of AN patients’ body image disturbance.

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Hintergrund: Scham wird mit unterschiedlichen psychischen Störungen, insbesondere mit der Borderline-Persönlichkeitsstörung (BPS), aber auch mit der Einhaltung sozialer Normen und der Selbstregulation in Zusammenhang gebracht. Fragestellung: Können mit einem Instrument positive wie negative Schamaspekte erfasst werden? Methode: Ein Fragebogen (SHAME) wurde entwickelt, der körperliche und kognitive Scham als adaptive sowie existenzielle Scham als pathologisch-dysfunktionale Subskala konzipiert und itemanalytisch (Stichprobe 1) überprüft, sowie an Gesunden (Stichprobe 2) und BPS-Patientinnen (Stichprobe 3) getestet. Ergebnisse: In einer Validierungsstudie (N= 506, Stichprobe 2) weist der SHAME gute Reliabilität sowie eine stabile Faktorstruktur auf. Frauen berichteten insgesamt höhere Schamwerte als Männer. Im Vergleich zu gesunden Frauen erreichten BPS-Patientinnen insgesamt und insbesondere hinsichtlich existenzieller Scham höhere Werte. Schlussfolgerungen: Der Fragebogen SHAME erscheint geeignet für die Erfassung verschiedener Schamaspekte. Dabei kann durch existenzielle Scham ein dysfunktionaler Schamaspekt abgebildet werden, wohingegen die mittleren Ausprägungen körperlicher und kognitiver Scham in Stichprobe zwei auf funktionale Aspekte hindeuten.

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