Question

Abnormal Psychology: Eating Disorders

Answer 1

Note: This is a reference for educational/studying purposes, not a question, please save all comments or questions for the end.

Answer 2

\({\bf{Anorexia~Nervosa~(AN)}}\) purposeful maintenance of low body weight, extreme fear of gaining weight, distorted self-image, and preoccupation with food
- two subtypes: restricting-type and binge-eating/purging-type
-95% of sufferers are women, affects ~0.5-4% of women in western/westernized countries
- typically appears between 14-20 years of age
- often follows a dieting attempt and can be exacerbated by stress or trauma
- often accompanied by other psychological problems like anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive behaviors, or insomnia
- leads to medical problems like low blood pressure, slow heart rate, metabolic/electrolyte imbalances, amennorrhea (loss of menstrual cycle)

\({\bf{Bulimia~Nervosa~(BN)}}\) repeated episodes of uncontrollable overeating over a limited periof otime followed by compensatory behaviors like vomiting, laxative abuse, fasting, or excessive exercise, and a great sense of shame or guilt
- ~90% of sufferers are women
- typically appears between 15-20 years of age
- weight can fluctuate between over, normal and underweight
- compensatory behaviors like vomiting may temporarily relieve feelings of anxiety/guilt but can make the disorder worse because it affects satiation/hunger signals
- also often begins after a diet attempt
- compared to AN, sufferers of bulimia are more conerned with pleasing others and being attractive, also more susceptible to mood swings/mood disorders
- potential health problems: electrolyte imbalances, intestinal disorders, heart damage, dental problems

\({\bf{Binge-Eating~Disorder (BED)}}\) marked by repeated binges but not compensatory behaviors
- most overweight people do not have BED but most people with BED are overweight (2/3)
- many sufferers have poor body image and preoccupation with food
- often accompanied with other psychological problems like depression, anxiety
- usually appears in adolescence/young adulthood
- gender difference not as significant as AN/BN

Answer 3

\({\bf{Factors}}\)
-psychodynamic: ego deficiencies (lack of control/independence), ineffective parents (parents who do not provide adequate food/emotional support and attempt to control their children's needs), alexithmic (difficulty labeling ones own feelings)

- cognitive: core pathology: judging one's worth based on one's weight/size; core pathology is said to give rise to all other cognition/behaviors associated with the ED

- biological: genetics, low serotonin, malfunctioning of the hypothalamus, appetite suppresants CCK and GLP-1, fighting against one's own weight/set point

- sociocultural: societal expectations on beauty/weight esp. for performers/models/athletes, prejudice against people based on appearance/weight, families that over-emphasize beauty and weight, enmeshed family structures

note: it may be higher emphasis on thinness/beauty in women that contributes to the gender divide in AN/BN; however, men may also be susceptible esp. if their job/athletic performance depends on their weight/size. muscle dysphoria (in which one perceives oneself to be too thin/weak/scrawny may be more common in men)

- multicultural: acculturation to white/western beauty standards

Answer 4

\({\bf{Treatment}}\) has two main goals; first being correcting dangerous eating behaviors, and the second to address underlying psychological problems

weight/eating behavior interventions:
- IV/tube feeding
- behavioral program to reward better eating behaviors
- nursing care

psychological interventions:
- CBT: changing maladaptive cognitions, keeping a diary/record of patients' feelings/hunger/food intake, etc. to identify problematic behaviors, better stress coping mechanisms and better ways to take control of one's life
- family therapy to change negative family interactions that may be contributing to the ED
- antidepressants
- exposure/response prevention may be helpful for binge/purge treatment

\({\bf{Outcomes}}\)
- weight restoration seems to be effective and 85% show improvement
- medical problems like amenorrhea tend to decrease after treatment
- BN has higher improvement rate and lower relapse rate
- 25% still suffer from serious psychological problems for years, 1/3 w/ AN have relapse
- recovery rate is tied to the amount of weight lost, the quality of family interactions, and pre-existing psychological problems

Answer 5

Anyway, that's all for this topic, I hope it was of use to you! If you have any questions I will address them to the best of my ability (you may have better luck contacting me on my main account, Vocaloid)

Source: Fundamentals of Abnormal Psychology, Eighth Edition, Ronald J. Comer