ADULT
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Eating Disorder Research: Klarman Eating Disorder Center
Body Checking and Avoidance Among Patients in Residential Treatment for Eating Disorders
Sherrie S. Delinsky, Ph.D., Sarah St. Germain, B.S., William H. Fagley, M.Ed., Anne E. Becker, M.D., PhD., Sc.M., and Philip Levendusky, Ph.D.
Body checking and avoidance, the behavioral manifestations of overvaluation of weight/shape, have been described recently among patients with various eating disorders. The objectives of the study are: (1) to describe body checking and avoidance among residential patients; (2) to examine the relation of body checking and avoidance to treatment outcome and other patient factors; and (3) to describe change in body checking and avoidance over the course of treatment. To date, 30 residential patients with AN, BN, and EDNOS were assessed with the Body Checking Questionnaire (BCQ), Body Image Avoidance Questionnaire (BIAQ), EDE-Q, and BDI, at intake, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and at discharge. Patients’ mean age was 18.67 (SD = 1.86) and mean age of onset was 14.90 (SD = 2.48). Mean expected body weight was 78.95% (SD = 5.96) for AN, 102.80% (SD = 13.93) for BN, and 104.83% (SD = 12.90) for EDNOS. Residential patients displayed high levels of body checking and avoidance. There were no differences in body checking or avoidance across diagnostic category and body checking and avoidance were not correlated with % expected body weight. Body checking was significantly positively correlated with BDI score (r = .58, p = .002) and number of previous hospitalizations (r = .49, p = .011), and negatively correlated with age of onset (r = -.59, p = .002). Body avoidance was significantly positively correlated with BDI score (r = .55, p = .004). Body checking was significantly correlated with all 4 EDE-Q subscales, whereas body avoidance was correlated with EDE-Q weight, shape, and eating concern. Body checking and avoidance appear to be associated with severity of illness, (as indicated by age of onset, previous hospitalizations, EDE-Q scores, and BDI), but not associated with diagnostic category or % expected body weight. Change in body checking and avoidance and their relation to treatment outcome will be reported, as data collection with the final sample is underway.
McLean Hospital Research
| 02/01/2007 | First National Survey on Eating Disorders Finds Binge Eating More Common Than Other Eating Disorders |
| 03/06/2006 | Binge Eating Disorder May Have Genetic Ties, McLean Study Finds |