Body checking and obsessive–compulsive symptoms in Brazilian outpatients with eating disorders

Abstract

Patients with eating disorders are believed to be included in the obsessive-compulsive spectrum, and may experience intrusive thoughts about behavior. The results of our work suggest that obsessive symptoms and body checking should be further investigated and properly managed in patients with ED.

Immediate Effects of Body Checking Behaviour on Negative and Positive Emotions in Women with Eating Disorders: An Ecological Momentary Assessment Approach

“…Furthermore, the results are in line with previous studies and theoretical assumptions that body checking transiently amplifies aversive emotions, body dissatisfaction and weight concerns (Fairburn et al, 1999;Shafran et al, 2007), which may encourage compensatory behaviour, dietary restrictions (Lavender et al, 2013) and further body checking behaviour in the sense of a vicious circle in order to retain control over shape and weight Fairburn et al, 1999;Fairburn et al, 2003;Williamson et al, 2004). Accordingly, it can be assumed that body checking behaviour contributes to the maintenance of eating disorders (Shafran et al, 2007), leading to the suggestion that reducing body checking behaviour improves the prognosis (Kachani, Barroso, Brasiliano, Hochgraf, & Cordas, 2014) and, therefore, constitutes a suitable target in the treatment of eating disorders (Cash & Hrabosky, 2004;Lavender et al, 2013).…”

“…Therefore, the current findings seem to contradict the assertion that body checking in eating disorders is maintained via negative reinforcement by a reduction of negative emotions (Williamson et al, 2004). Accordingly, it can be assumed that body checking behaviour contributes to the maintenance of eating disorders (Shafran et al, 2007), leading to the suggestion that reducing body checking behaviour improves the prognosis (Kachani, Barroso, Brasiliano, Hochgraf, & Cordas, 2014) and, therefore, constitutes a suitable target in the treatment of eating disorders (Cash & Hrabosky, 2004;Lavender et al, 2013). This finding provides a first hint that this aspect of the cognitive-behavioural theory of eating disorders should be revised (Williamson et al, 2004).…”

“…In this respect, the findings provide hints regarding the necessity to revise the aspect of the cognitive-behavioural theory of eating disorders that body checking reduces negative emotions and is therefore maintained via negative reinforcement (Williamson et al, 2004). Furthermore, owing to the immediate negative consequences of body checking in the present study, direct interventions aiming at a reduction of body checking, for example, exposure with response prevention, are warranted (Cash & Hrabosky, 2004;Lavender et al, 2013), which require a better understanding of the nature of this symptom (Kachani et al, 2014).…”

“…In particular, examining the progression of emotions at various time points after body checking might clarify whether negative emotions decrease and positive emotions increase at a later point in time. Furthermore, owing to the immediate negative consequences of body checking in the present study, direct interventions aiming at a reduction of body checking, for example, exposure with response prevention, are warranted (Cash & Hrabosky, 2004;Lavender et al, 2013), which require a better understanding of the nature of this symptom (Kachani et al, 2014). Although participants were instructed to use the handheld computer immediately after each body checking episode, it cannot be ruled out that the time points of data entry are temporally discordant both within a participant as well as between participants.…”

Eating disorders and substance use in adolescents: How substance users differ from nonsubstance users in an outpatient eating disorders treatment clinic

“…Contrarily, adolescents with restricting EDs have noted the cost and unhealthy impact of substances as key factors in their decision not to consume substances (Stock et al, ). Also, patients with AN‐R tend to display high levels of avoidance and obsessional behaviors, which may influence their decision not to consume substances (Degortes, Zanetti, Tenconi, Santonastaso, & Favaro, ; Harrop & Marlatt, ; Hildebrandt et al, ; Kachani, Barroso, Brasiliano, Hochgraf, & Cordás, ; Rogers & Petrie, ; Wildes, Ringham, & Marcus, ).…”