Bijsterbosch Jojanneke M, Keizer Anouk, Boelen Paul A, van den Brink Femke, Sternheim Lot C
Department of Clinical Psychology, Utrecht University, PO Box 80140, 3508 TC, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Department of Experimental Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
J Eat Disord. 2022 Aug 18;10(1):122. doi: 10.1186/s40337-022-00647-1.
A key feature of anorexia nervosa is body image disturbances and is often expressed by dysfunctional body-related behaviours such as body checking and body avoiding. These behaviours are thought to contribute to both the maintenance and relapse of AN, yet empirical evidence is scarce. One variable that may contribute to the need for engaging in these behaviours is intolerance of uncertainty. This study aims to investigate body checking and body avoiding and its relations with intolerance of uncertainty in women with anorexia nervosa (AN-ill; 70), women recovered from AN (AN-rec; 85) and control group (127).
Three questionnaires were completed, measuring eating pathology, intolerance of uncertainty and body checking and body avoiding. One-way ANOVAS were used to test group differences. Moderation analyses were used to investigate associations between variables.
Levels of intolerance of uncertainty, body checking and body avoiding were highest in AN-ill followed by AN-rec and, lastly, the control group, confirming group differences. Intolerance of uncertainty was associated with body checking in the AN-rec group and the control group but not in the AN-ill group. The association between intolerance of uncertainty and body avoiding was reported in the AN-rec group and only marginally in the control group.
Levels of intolerance of uncertainty, body checking and body avoiding were highest in AN-ill, however still elevated in AN-rec, confirming the presence of body image disturbances, even after recovery. The unique associations between intolerance of uncertainty and body checking and body avoiding within the studied groups may represent different stages of the illness. In the AN-rec group, the relation between intolerance of uncertainty, body checking and body avoiding may be driven by trait anxiety. For AN-ill group, body checking and body avoiding may eventually have grown into habitual patterns, rather than a strategy to ameliorate anxiety and uncertainty. Women with anorexia nervosa often experience disturbances in their body image and are expressed in body-related behaviours such as body checking and body avoiding. These behaviours are thought to contribute to both the maintenance and relapse of anorexia nervosa. Intolerance of uncertainty is defined as the incapacity to tolerate uncertainty and may contribute to the need for engaging in these behaviours. This study aims to investigate body checking and body avoiding and its relations with intolerance of uncertainty in women with anorexia nervosa (AN-ill; 70), women recovered from AN (AN-rec; 85) and control group (127). Three questionnaires were completed, measuring eating pathology, intolerance of uncertainty and body checking and body avoiding. Levels of intolerance of uncertainty, body checking and body avoiding were highest in AN-ill and still elevated in AN-rec, even after recovery. The associations between intolerance of uncertainty and body checking and body avoiding within the studied groups may represent different stages of the illness. In the AN-rec group, the relation between intolerance of uncertainty, body checking and body avoiding may be driven by trait anxiety. For AN-ill group, body checking and body avoiding may have grown into habitual patterns, rather than a strategy to ameliorate anxiety and uncertainty.
神经性厌食症的一个关键特征是身体意象障碍，常表现为如身体检查和身体回避等与身体相关的功能失调行为。这些行为被认为会导致神经性厌食症的维持和复发，但实证证据却很匮乏。一个可能导致产生这些行为需求的变量是对不确定性的不耐受。本研究旨在调查神经性厌食症女性患者（患病组；70人）、从神经性厌食症中康复的女性（康复组；85人）和对照组（127人）的身体检查和身体回避情况及其与对不确定性不耐受的关系。
完成了三份问卷，分别测量饮食病理学、对不确定性的不耐受以及身体检查和身体回避情况。采用单因素方差分析来检验组间差异。进行调节分析以研究变量之间的关联。
对不确定性的不耐受、身体检查和身体回避水平在患病组中最高，其次是康复组，最后是对照组，证实了组间差异。对不确定性的不耐受与康复组和对照组中的身体检查相关，但与患病组无关。对不确定性的不耐受与身体回避之间的关联在康复组中存在，在对照组中仅勉强存在。
对不确定性的不耐受、身体检查和身体回避水平在患病组中最高，但在康复组中仍较高，这证实了即使在康复后身体意象障碍依然存在。所研究组中对不确定性的不耐受与身体检查和身体回避之间的独特关联可能代表了疾病的不同阶段。在康复组中，对不确定性的不耐受、身体检查和身体回避之间的关系可能由特质焦虑驱动。对于患病组，身体检查和身体回避可能最终已演变成习惯性模式，而非缓解焦虑和不确定性的策略。神经性厌食症女性患者经常经历身体意象障碍，并表现为如身体检查和身体回避等与身体相关的行为。这些行为被认为会导致神经性厌食症的维持和复发。对不确定性的不耐受被定义为无法容忍不确定性，可能导致产生这些行为的需求。本研究旨在调查神经性厌食症女性患者（患病组；70人）、从神经性厌食症中康复的女性（康复组；85人）和对照组（127人）的身体检查和身体回避情况及其与对不确定性不耐受的关系。完成了三份问卷，分别测量饮食病理学、对不确定性的不耐受以及身体检查和身体回避情况。对不确定性的不耐受、身体检查和身体回避水平在患病组中最高，在康复组中即使康复后仍较高。所研究组中对不确定性的不耐受与身体检查和身体回避之间的关联可能代表了疾病的不同阶段。在康复组中，对不确定性的不耐受、身体检查和身体回避之间的关系可能由特质焦虑驱动。对于患病组，身体检查和身体回避可能已演变成习惯性模式，而非缓解焦虑和不确定性的策略。
