Body size distortion in anorexia nervosa: Reanalysis and reconceptualization

Abstract

The current paper deals with method of computation of body distortion scores for anorexia nervosa subjects. Data from a previous study (Thompson, Berland, Linton, & Weinsier, 1986) are reanalyzed to illustrate that researchers may reach different results and conclusions based on the specific method of analysis chosen to evaluate body size estimation measures. The importance of these issues for basic clinical findings and theoretical issues in body image research are discussed.

Body image disturbance: Time to abandon the concept for eating disorders?

“…Some found this overestimation in bulimics to be related to a previous history of anorexia nervosa (Freeman, et al, 1985) whereas others did not . Extreme deviation of size and weight from normal has been postulated to be associated with overestimation (Thompson, 1987;Dolan, et al, 1987;Ben-Tovim & Crisp, 1984) and could explain conceivably such inaccuracy in anorectics. However, because bulimics are usually at relatively normal weight, it is unlikely that deviation alone could account for the overestimation in this population.…”

“…On image distortion, four studies (Meerman, 1983;Freeman, et al, 1985;Huon & Brown, 1986;Whitehouse, et al, 1988) found no difference between anorectics and controls, one found greater variability (Touyz, Beumont, Collins, McCabe, & Jupp, 1984) and one found both greater variability and overestimation in the patients (Collins, Beumont, Touyz, Krass, Thompson, & Philips, 1987). On the analogue method, two found no difference (Ben-Tovim & Crisp, 1984;Thompson, Berland, Linton, & Weinsier, 1986), although upon reanalyzing the data and comparing specifically the two underweight groups with the controls, Thompson (1987) did find the anorectics to overestimate their body width significantly. Norris (1984) found anorectics to overestimate more than did normals but not more than did a group of mentally disturbed controls.…”

Body image disturbance: Time to abandon the concept for eating disorders?

“…Some found this overestimation in bulimics to be related to a previous history of anorexia nervosa (Freeman, et al, 1985) whereas others did not . Extreme deviation of size and weight from normal has been postulated to be associated with overestimation (Thompson, 1987;Dolan, et al, 1987;Ben-Tovim & Crisp, 1984) and could explain conceivably such inaccuracy in anorectics. However, because bulimics are usually at relatively normal weight, it is unlikely that deviation alone could account for the overestimation in this population.…”

“…On image distortion, four studies (Meerman, 1983;Freeman, et al, 1985;Huon & Brown, 1986;Whitehouse, et al, 1988) found no difference between anorectics and controls, one found greater variability (Touyz, Beumont, Collins, McCabe, & Jupp, 1984) and one found both greater variability and overestimation in the patients (Collins, Beumont, Touyz, Krass, Thompson, & Philips, 1987). On the analogue method, two found no difference (Ben-Tovim & Crisp, 1984;Thompson, Berland, Linton, & Weinsier, 1986), although upon reanalyzing the data and comparing specifically the two underweight groups with the controls, Thompson (1987) did find the anorectics to overestimate their body width significantly. Norris (1984) found anorectics to overestimate more than did normals but not more than did a group of mentally disturbed controls.…”

The discrepancy between emotional vs. rational estimates of body size, actual size, and ideal body ratings: Theoretical and clinical implications

“…It is obvious that these aspects of body image should be clearly differentiated. As Thompson (1987) suggested, researchers in the area of body size estimation usually have assumed that they were measuring a purely perceptual aspect of body image. Theories generally have focused on perceptual explanations of the phenomenon (Garner & Garfinkel, 1981) and ranged from a developmental deviation (regression to a pre-menarcheal stage of perception) to the adaptive failure disturbance (failure to adapt body estimations to reduced size via weight loss).…”

Assessing body image disturbance: Measures, methodology, and implementation.

“…The actual size of the individual has been shown to affect figural ratings and perceptual size estimation components of body image (Coovert, Thompson, & Kinder, 1988;Penner, Thompson, & Coovert, 1991;Thompson, 1987;Williamson, Cubic, & Gleaves, 1993). Anorexic patients were found to overestimate body size and select smaller schematic figures than control subjects when the actual size of subjects was not considered as a variable in analyses (Penner et al, 1991;.…”

Body image disturbance: Time to abandon the concept for eating disorders?

“…Some found this overestimation in bulimics to be related to a previous history of anorexia nervosa (Freeman, et al, 1985) whereas others did not . Extreme deviation of size and weight from normal has been postulated to be associated with overestimation (Thompson, 1987;Dolan, et al, 1987;Ben-Tovim & Crisp, 1984) and could explain conceivably such inaccuracy in anorectics. However, because bulimics are usually at relatively normal weight, it is unlikely that deviation alone could account for the overestimation in this population.…”

“…On image distortion, four studies (Meerman, 1983;Freeman, et al, 1985;Huon & Brown, 1986;Whitehouse, et al, 1988) found no difference between anorectics and controls, one found greater variability (Touyz, Beumont, Collins, McCabe, & Jupp, 1984) and one found both greater variability and overestimation in the patients (Collins, Beumont, Touyz, Krass, Thompson, & Philips, 1987). On the analogue method, two found no difference (Ben-Tovim & Crisp, 1984;Thompson, Berland, Linton, & Weinsier, 1986), although upon reanalyzing the data and comparing specifically the two underweight groups with the controls, Thompson (1987) did find the anorectics to overestimate their body width significantly. Norris (1984) found anorectics to overestimate more than did normals but not more than did a group of mentally disturbed controls.…”

The discrepancy between emotional vs. rational estimates of body size, actual size, and ideal body ratings: Theoretical and clinical implications

“…It is obvious that these aspects of body image should be clearly differentiated. As Thompson (1987) suggested, researchers in the area of body size estimation usually have assumed that they were measuring a purely perceptual aspect of body image. Theories generally have focused on perceptual explanations of the phenomenon (Garner & Garfinkel, 1981) and ranged from a developmental deviation (regression to a pre-menarcheal stage of perception) to the adaptive failure disturbance (failure to adapt body estimations to reduced size via weight loss).…”

Assessing body image disturbance: Measures, methodology, and implementation.

“…The actual size of the individual has been shown to affect figural ratings and perceptual size estimation components of body image (Coovert, Thompson, & Kinder, 1988;Penner, Thompson, & Coovert, 1991;Thompson, 1987;Williamson, Cubic, & Gleaves, 1993). Anorexic patients were found to overestimate body size and select smaller schematic figures than control subjects when the actual size of subjects was not considered as a variable in analyses (Penner et al, 1991;.…”

Body image disturbance: Time to abandon the concept for eating disorders?

“…Some found this overestimation in bulimics to be related to a previous history of anorexia nervosa (Freeman, et al, 1985) whereas others did not . Extreme deviation of size and weight from normal has been postulated to be associated with overestimation (Thompson, 1987;Dolan, et al, 1987;Ben-Tovim & Crisp, 1984) and could explain conceivably such inaccuracy in anorectics. However, because bulimics are usually at relatively normal weight, it is unlikely that deviation alone could account for the overestimation in this population.…”

“…On image distortion, four studies (Meerman, 1983;Freeman, et al, 1985;Huon & Brown, 1986;Whitehouse, et al, 1988) found no difference between anorectics and controls, one found greater variability (Touyz, Beumont, Collins, McCabe, & Jupp, 1984) and one found both greater variability and overestimation in the patients (Collins, Beumont, Touyz, Krass, Thompson, & Philips, 1987). On the analogue method, two found no difference (Ben-Tovim & Crisp, 1984;Thompson, Berland, Linton, & Weinsier, 1986), although upon reanalyzing the data and comparing specifically the two underweight groups with the controls, Thompson (1987) did find the anorectics to overestimate their body width significantly. Norris (1984) found anorectics to overestimate more than did normals but not more than did a group of mentally disturbed controls.…”

The discrepancy between emotional vs. rational estimates of body size, actual size, and ideal body ratings: Theoretical and clinical implications

“…It is obvious that these aspects of body image should be clearly differentiated. As Thompson (1987) suggested, researchers in the area of body size estimation usually have assumed that they were measuring a purely perceptual aspect of body image. Theories generally have focused on perceptual explanations of the phenomenon (Garner & Garfinkel, 1981) and ranged from a developmental deviation (regression to a pre-menarcheal stage of perception) to the adaptive failure disturbance (failure to adapt body estimations to reduced size via weight loss).…”

Assessing body image disturbance: Measures, methodology, and implementation.

“…The actual size of the individual has been shown to affect figural ratings and perceptual size estimation components of body image (Coovert, Thompson, & Kinder, 1988;Penner, Thompson, & Coovert, 1991;Thompson, 1987;Williamson, Cubic, & Gleaves, 1993). Anorexic patients were found to overestimate body size and select smaller schematic figures than control subjects when the actual size of subjects was not considered as a variable in analyses (Penner et al, 1991;.…”