Abnormal Psychology L6

Question 1

What are the four common behavioral psychological dimensions of eating disorders?

Answer 1

1. Body dissatisfaction/weight or shape concerns
2. Restrictive eating
3. Binge-eating (objective vs subjective)
4. Purging/compensating

Question 2

What are the 5 DSM-5 eating disorders?

Answer 2

1. Anorexia Nervosa
2. Bulimia Nervosa
3. Binge Eating Disorder
4. Avoidant/restrictive Food Intake Disorder
5. Other Specified Eating Disorder

Question 3

What are the symptoms of Anorexia Nervosa?

Answer 3

. Restriction of energy intake relative to energy requirements, leading to significant weight loss (BMI)
. Intense fair of gaining weight or becoming fat.
. Disturbance in the way in which one’s body weight is experienced/percieved

Question 4

What are the two types of Anorexia?

Answer 4

Restricting Type: no binging or purging

Binge-eating/Purging Type: regular binging or purging.

Question 5

What are the symptoms of Bulimia Nervosa?

Answer 5

. Recurrent binge-eating with a sense of a lack of control
. Recurrent inappropriate compensatory behavior in order to prevent weight gain.
. Binge eating and compensatory behavior occur at least once a week for three months.
. Self evaluation is unduly influenced by body shape and weight

Question 6

What are the associate symptoms of Bulimia Nervosa?

Answer 6

. Individuals are usually within the normal weight or over weight range
. Between binges individuals typically restrict caloric intake
. Low self esteem
. Low mood/depression
. High rates of smoking
. High rates of substance abuse

Question 7

What are the symptoms of Binge Eating Disorder

Answer 7

Self evaluation unduly influenced by body shape or size
Recurrent binges (2x a week for at least 6 months)
3 or more of the following:
- eating more rapidly then normal
- eating until uncomfortably full
- binging when not hungry
- eating alone due to embarrassment
- feeling disgusted, depressed, guilty after overeating

Question 8

What is the difference between Binge Eating Disorders and Bulimia Nervosa?

Answer 8

Bulimia patients display purging/compensating behaviors while Binge Eating patients do not.

Question 9

Reported rates for eating disorders are…

Answer 9

Underestimates

Question 10

What are the biological causes of Eating Disorders?

Answer 10

There is evidence for genetic components (twin studies)
Lower levels of neurotransmitters (Seratonin and Norepinephrine)
Hormones - individuals with restricting anorexia have deficiency in hypothalamus functioning which allows them to starve themselves (suppresses bodies eating response)

Question 11

What are the socio-cultural causes of Eating Disorders?

Answer 11

Western standards of female attractiveness ever progressing to thinner ideal

Question 12

Describe the “Diet-Binge-Purge” cycle.

Answer 12

Rigid dieting -> Slipup -> Abstinence Violation Effect -> Binge eating -> Guilt/remorse -> Purging/compensatory -> Rigid dieting

Question 13

Describe the Abstinence Violation Effect.

Answer 13

“I slipped up so everything is ruined, might as well go to town and binge eat”

Question 14

What treatments are commonly used in Anorexia?

Answer 14

• Restoration of proper weight (often needs to occur before psychological approaches can begin)
• Sometimes hospitalisation for malnutrition
• Residential programs
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
• Family Systems Therapy

Question 15

What treatments are commonly used in bulimia and binge eating?

Answer 15

• Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy

- Medication

Question 16

What pressures do men face?

Answer 16

Much of body dissatisfaction in men focus on muscles and body size which leads to…

• Steroid Use
• Excessive Exercise/Weight Lifting
• Mirror checking
• Strict diet
• Compare with other men