Abnormal Psych Chapter 9

Question 1

Male/Female differences in view of body weight

Answer 1

Females overestimate their weights, males underestimate theirs
Females see their ideal weight as being lower than what they judge as attractive in females, which is lower in weight than what males say would be attractive
Males see their ideal weights, the weight they’d be most attractive, and their current weights as being almost identical, and all three are higher than what females say would be most attractive

Question 2

What are the three eating disorders?

Answer 2

Anorexia Nervosa: hallmark is excessive weight loss
Bulimia Nervosa: hallmark is binge eating and purging
Binge Eating Disorder: no purging

Question 3

Anorexia Nervosa

Answer 3

Hallmark: Successful Extreme Weight, defined as 15% below expected weight
Intense fear of obesity
Relentless pursuit of thinness, fear of eating
Often begins with dieting

Question 4

DSM criteria for Anorexia Nervosa

Answer 4

Refusal to maintain body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for age and height
Intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, despite being underweight
Distortions in the perception of one’s body weight or shape, undue influence of body weight or shape on self-evaluation, or denial of the seriousness of the current low body weight
Women: amenorrhea (absence of at least three consecutive cycles)

Question 5

Subtypes of anorexia

Answer 5

Restricting subtype – Limit caloric intake via diet and fasting
Binge-eating-purging subtype – About 50% of anorexics
Anorexia “trumps” bulimia in diagnosis

Question 6

Anorexia Nervosa associated features

Answer 6

Marked disturbance in body image
High comorbidity with other psychological disorders
Weight loss methods have life threatening consequences

Question 7

Facts about Anorexia Nervosa

Answer 7

Majority are female and white
From middle-to-upper middle class families
Usually develops around age 13 or early adolescence
More chronic and resistant to treatment than bulimia
Westernized cultures primarily

Question 8

Bulimia Nervosa

Answer 8

Binge Eating – Hallmark of Bulimia
*Binge – Eating excess amounts of food
*Eating is perceived as uncontrollable

Compensatory Behaviors
*Purging – Self-induced vomiting, diuretics, laxatives
*Some exercise excessively, whereas others fast

Question 9

DSM criteria for Bulimia Nervosa

Answer 9

Recurrent episodes of binge eating characterized by
1) eating in a discrete period of time an amount of food that is definitely larger than most people would eat during a similar period of time and under similar circumstances.
2) a sense of lack of control over eating during the episode.

Recurrent inappropriate behaviors to prevent weight gain such as self-induced vomiting or misuse of laxatives.
The binge eating and inappropriate purging behaviors both occur, on average, at least twice a week for 3 months.
Self-evaluation is unduly influenced by body shape and weight.

Question 10

Subtypes of Bulimia

Answer 10

Purging subtype – Most common subtype (e.g., vomiting, laxatives, enemas)
Nonpurging subtype – About one-third of bulimics (e.g., excess exercise, fasting)
Note: Binge eating often occurs late in the day when the person is alone

Question 11

Bulimia Nervosa associated features