Cognitive avoidance in the strategic processing of ego threats among eating-disordered patients
Caroline Meyer PhD
Medical School, University of Warwick, Warwick, United Kingdom
Search for more papers by this authorLucy Serpell PhD
Department of Clinical Health Psychology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
Eating Disorders Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, University of London, London, United Kingdom
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Glenn Waller DPhil
St. George's Eating Disorders Service, Southwest London, United Kingdom
Outpatient Eating Disorders Service, Harewood House, Springfield University Hospital, London SW17 7DJ, United KingdomSearch for more papers by this authorFay Murphy D Clin Psy
Eating Disorders Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, University of London, London, United Kingdom
Search for more papers by this authorJanet Treasure MD
Eating Disorders Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, University of London, London, United Kingdom
Search for more papers by this authorNewman Leung PhD
South Birmingham Mental Health Trust and University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
Search for more papers by this authorCaroline Meyer PhD
Medical School, University of Warwick, Warwick, United Kingdom
Search for more papers by this authorLucy Serpell PhD
Department of Clinical Health Psychology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
Eating Disorders Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, University of London, London, United Kingdom
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Glenn Waller DPhil
St. George's Eating Disorders Service, Southwest London, United Kingdom
Outpatient Eating Disorders Service, Harewood House, Springfield University Hospital, London SW17 7DJ, United KingdomSearch for more papers by this authorFay Murphy D Clin Psy
Eating Disorders Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, University of London, London, United Kingdom
Search for more papers by this authorJanet Treasure MD
Eating Disorders Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, University of London, London, United Kingdom
Search for more papers by this authorNewman Leung PhD
South Birmingham Mental Health Trust and University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
Background
This study of strategic processing examined whether it is possible to demonstrate cognitive avoidance of ego threats in women with eating disorders, using a task that involves less automatic identification of threat cues.
Method
Fifty eating-disordered (anorexic and bulimic) and 50 comparison women completed a task of strategic processing, assessing their speed of solving neutral, food-related, and ego threat-related anagrams.
Results
Cognitive avoidance of threat-related information was shown, but only among women with bulimic characteristics. The presence of bulimic behaviors (binging and vomiting) was the clearest factor associated with such avoidance. There was no evidence of avoidance of disorder-related (food) cues.
Discussion
Research and therapeutic implications are discussed, including the potential utility of therapies that directly or indirectly address the schema-level representation of ego threats when working with eating pathology. © 2005 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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