No abstract

Early reports suggest that lockdown measures associated with the COVID-19 pandemic (e.g., social distancing) are having adverse consequences for people’s mental health, including increases in maladaptive eating habits and body dissatisfaction. Certain groups, such as those with pre-existing mental health difficulties, may be especially at risk. The current study explored perceived changes in eating, exercise, and body image during lockdown within the United Kingdom, using an online survey (n = 264). There were large individual differences in perceived changes in eating, exercise, and body image in this period. Women were more likely than men to report increasing struggles with regulating eating, preoccupation with food and worsening body image. Those with a current/past diagnosis of eating disorders reported significantly greater difficulties in regulating eating, increased preoccupation with food, exercise thoughts and behaviours and concern about appearance, even when compared to those with other mental health and developmental disorders. Ongoing research to explore individual differences in the trajectories of change in eating, exercise and body image as lockdown measures ease will be important for understanding the full psychological impact of this pandemic and improve service and public health planning going forward.

Previous research has shown high cortisol reactors to consume a greater amount of snack foods than low reactors following a laboratory stressor. The current study tested whether high cortisol reactors also consume more snacks than low reactors in response to field stressors. Fifty pre-menopausal women completed a laboratory stressor, provided saliva samples to assess cortisol reactor status and then completed daily hassles and snack intake diaries over the next fourteen days. Hierarchical multivariate linear modelling showed a significant association between daily hassles and snack intake within the overall sample, where an increased number of hassles was associated with increased snack intake. This significant positive association between number of hassles and snack intake was only observed within the high cortisol reactors and not within the low cortisol reactors. These findings suggest that high cortisol reactivity to stress promotes food intake. Furthermore, the eating style variables of restraint, emotional eating, external eating and disinhibition were more strongly associated with snack intake in high reactors than in low reactors. This suggests that cortisol reactivity may in part account for the moderating role of eating style on stress-induced eating. The results are discussed within the context of future health risk.

The present study examined the relationship between different forms of childhood trauma and eating psychopathology using a multiple mediation model that included emotion dysregulation and dissociation as hypothesised mediators. 142 female undergraduate psychology students studying at two British Universities participated in this cross-sectional study. Participants completed measures of childhood trauma (emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional neglect and physical neglect), eating psychopathology, dissociation and emotion dysregulation. Multiple mediation analysis was conducted to investigate the study's proposed model. Results revealed that the multiple mediation model significantly predicted eating psychopathology. Additionally, both emotion dysregulation and dissociation were found to be significant mediators between childhood trauma and eating psychopathology. A specific indirect effect was observed between childhood emotional abuse and eating psychopathology through emotion dysregulation. Findings support previous research linking childhood trauma to eating psychopathology. They indicate that multiple forms of childhood trauma should be assessed for individuals with eating disorders. The possible maintaining role of emotion regulation processes should also be considered in the treatment of eating disorders.

COVID-19 may have substantial impact on the mental health at a population level, but also has the potential to significantly affect those with pre-existing mental health difficulties such as eating disorders. This qualitative study explores the impact of COVID-19 and associated public health measures on adults with eating disorders within the UK. We conducted 10 in depth interviews with adults (24-38 years) with a self-reported eating disorder during lockdown. Data were analysed using an inductive thematic analysis approach. We identified core themes related to social restrictions (social isolation, changes in accountability to others, and increased responsibility for self and others), functional restrictions (lack of routine and structure, a need to intentionally plan activity, a desire for secrecy particularly around food shopping) and restrictions in access to mental health services. Overall, the impact of the lockdown was experienced as a catalyst for either increased disordered eating behaviours or for a drive for recovery, depending on individual circumstances going into these restrictions. This study is the first in depth interview approach with adults with mixed eating disorder presentations in the UK during COVID-19. Findings have important implications for post lockdown intervention care and practice.

Objective: This systematic review aimed to collate and evaluate the existing research for the use of mindfulness based approaches to treat post-traumatic stress disorder. Primary objectives were to explore the effects of mindfulness based approaches on post-traumatic stress symptoms and associated psychological distress; with secondary objectives to explore the attrition rate, adverse effects, resource implications and long term effects of such interventions.Method: Research databases, EMBASE, OVID MedLine, Psycinfo, CINAHL and PILOTS were systematically searched, relevant authors in the field were contacted and a hand search of relevant papers was conducted.Results: The search resulted in 12 studies that met eligibility criteria. Many of these studies lacked methodological rigour. The majority of studies indicated positive outcomes with improvements in post-traumatic stress symptoms, particularly in reducing avoidance. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is defined as a presentation of characteristic symptoms following direct exposure, witnessing or learning of an event that involves actual or threatened death or serious injury or harm to self or others (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). PTSD is characterised by four clusters of symptoms which can be summarised as-re-experiencing traumatic events which may occur through flashbacks or nightmares, negative cognitions and mood, avoidance of trauma related cognitions and triggers which may present as dissociation or emotional numbing; and hyper arousal such as, hyper-vigilance to threat, irritability and sleep problems (APA, 2013). PTSD symptoms can be variable in terms of impact, severity, and duration; many researchers have suggested that a chronic form of complex PTSD may occur following prolonged or repeated traumatic events (Cloitre et al., 2009). PTSD is a significant health issue: it has been estimated that 25-30% of people who experience a traumatic life event go on to develop PTSD (National Institute Clinical Excellence, 2005). A recent study highlighted the high prevalence rate of trauma symptoms amongst mental health service users: 89% of a representative sample of individuals referred to primary care psychology reported exposure to traumatic life events and 51% met the screening criteria for PTSD despite trauma not always being the primary reason for referral (Noel, Gillanders & Power, 2012). PTSD InterventionsThe cognitive model of PTSD largely dominates the literature and is one of the most pervasive models for conceptualizing the development and maintenance of this disorder (Ehlers & Clark, 2000). The model proposes two main perpetuating factors which lead to a perceived sense of current threat: negative appraisals of the traumatic events and disrupted processing of trauma There is a significant evidence base for these approaches and the effectiveness of these interventions has been well documented (Powers, Halpern, Ferenschak, Gillihan & Foa, 2010;Mendes, Mello, Venture, Passarela & Mari, 2008;Seidler & Wagner, 2006). However attrit...

There are contemporary indicators that parent proxy-ratings and child self-ratings of a child’s quality of life (QoL) are not interchangeable. This review examines dual informant studies to assess parent–child agreement on the QoL of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. A systematic search of four major databases (PsycINFO, MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane databases) was completed, and related peer-reviewed journals were hand-searched. Studies which reported quantitative QoL ratings for matched parent and child dyads were screened in accordance with relevant inclusion and exclusion criteria. Key findings were extracted from thirteen relevant studies, which were rated for conformity to the recommendations of an adapted version of the STROBE statement guidelines for observational studies. In the majority of studies reviewed, children rated their QoL more highly than their parents. There was some evidence for greater agreement on the physical health domain than psychosocial domains.

There is a growing body of research on sexually motivated online communication with minors that has been variously described as luring, grooming and solicitation. Evidence from US studies would suggest an increase in aggressive sexual solicitations, with adolescent girls being more likely to be targeted. Existing research has involved adolescent as well as offender populations, and has largely relied on surveys with young people, interviews and official record data with offenders and ethnographic work with police officers. There have also been a number of studies using chat log data between offenders and adults pretending to be children. In addition, while the use of sexual images has been noted in both offender and victim studies, this has not been critically examined. The present study is different as it used reports from the public to Cybertip.ca to make sense of the types of behaviour that alerted concerned adults, and occasionally young people, to make a report; information available about the young person; information about the suspect, and the interaction between the two. The results of this study show strong similarities with previous research in relation to both offender and victim populations. Implications are discussed in relation to the importance of reporting mechanisms, awareness raising with parents and the need to recognize sexual agency and resilience in many adolescents.