How well do you identify with the following statement? “No one likes fat people; therefore, I must be thin to be liked.” How well does the following statement describe you? “If my weight goes up, my self-esteem goes down” Questions like these were on a survey, which college students, akin to you, completed as part of research on the connections between conviction of disordered eating-related cognition and negative psychological outcomes (emotional distress, depression, anxiety). This topic is applicable in society today because Western culture places a lot of emphasis on physical appearance. This, of course, is not new or shocking information, especially in a high profile university, such as UNC. The results of this cross-sectional show non-casual relationships that help researchers develop fruitful solutions to cognitive problems, facing western civilization today.
Researchers realized, prior to the study, the importance of the link between psychological flexibility and disordered-eating related cognition and negative psychological outcomes. Psychological flexibility is essentially the ability to fully enter a moment consciously, while being able to adapt or persist in behavior when appropriate and beneficial. (Masuda et al., 4) In the context of this study, psychological flexibility is inversely associated with negative psychological problems. Therefore, if a person positively identifies with the statement “No one likes fat people; therefore, I must be thin to be liked” he/she does not think of this as just a mental event, and in-turn will avoid social situations to reduce the negative feelings (Masuda et al., 5).
The purpose of the study was to determine if and how a psychologically flexible response style contributes to the link between disordered eating-related cognitions and poor psychological outcomes. Researchers hypothesized psychological flexibility would account for a greater portion of variance in negative psychological outcomes than the conviction of disordered eating-related cognitions (Masuda et al., 5). In other terms, psychological flexibility is a better measure of negative psychological outcomes than those having eating disorders.
The experiment was conducted at a large, public four year university in Georgia. Participants were recruited from undergraduate psychology courses via a web based research participant pool. The survey was an anonymous online test, and a total of 400 students completed the survey. However, not all participants were included in the results. The average time to complete the survey was 30 minutes. Those taking less than 15 minutes or more than 60 minutes, were removed from the analysis. After deletion, 375 participants’ scores were analyzed, with the ages of participants ranging from 17-49 years. Ethnic composition of participants included 42% European American, 28% African American, 13% Asian American/pacific islander, 8% Hispanic American, and 9% bicultural.
Four different tests were implemented within the survey, yielding four different types of questions. All the tests were measured on a Likert type scale, meaning participants rate the question from zero to a certain interval about how strongly they agree or disagree with the item. The first test used was the MAC-R 24. It is a 24 item test with questions designed to measure distorted cognitions and related eating disorders. One example is "If I don't establish a daily routine, everything will be chaotic, and I won't accomplish anything.” The second test was the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-16) which is a 16 item test designed to measure psychological flexibility. One example is “It is OK to feel depressed or anxious, I am able to take action on a problem even if I am uncertain of the right thing to do.” The third test was a General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), a 12 item test designed to measure overall psychological health. Participants were asked to rate frequency with which they experience common behavioral and psychological stressors. Finally, the last test was called the Interpersonal Reactivity Index-personal distress. It was a 7 item test measuring feelings of personal anxiety and uneasiness during tense interpersonal contexts. (Masuda et al., 6).
Researchers originally believed gender would be a big factor, however, gender was analyzed as a possible moderator variable, but failed to prove so. Therefore, gender was disregarded in interpreting the results of the study. Three points of interest resulted. Disordered eating-related cognitions (MAC-R) were positively related to general psychological ill health, psychological flexibility was negatively related to general general psychological health and emotional distress in stressful interpersonal contexts, and conviction of disordered eating-related cognitions and psychological flexibility were significant predictors of general psychological ill health and emotional distress in stressful interpersonal contexts.
What can be learned from this study? As mentioned before, no casual relations can be inferred, due to the cross-sectional nature of the study. In order to understand how negative psychological events are maintained, it may be beneficial to look at disordered eating related cognitions. Recent therapies have been designed with this new knowledge. These therapies undermine symptoms or/and promote psychological health (Masuda et al., 12). Therefore, the present study yields beneficial information about how to better create therapies by understanding the relationship between eating disorders, and negative psychological feelings. In a sense, hope for the future in a complex time of psychological stressors and high needs to fit in.
Researchers realized, prior to the study, the importance of the link between psychological flexibility and disordered-eating related cognition and negative psychological outcomes. Psychological flexibility is essentially the ability to fully enter a moment consciously, while being able to adapt or persist in behavior when appropriate and beneficial. (Masuda et al., 4) In the context of this study, psychological flexibility is inversely associated with negative psychological problems. Therefore, if a person positively identifies with the statement “No one likes fat people; therefore, I must be thin to be liked” he/she does not think of this as just a mental event, and in-turn will avoid social situations to reduce the negative feelings (Masuda et al., 5).
The purpose of the study was to determine if and how a psychologically flexible response style contributes to the link between disordered eating-related cognitions and poor psychological outcomes. Researchers hypothesized psychological flexibility would account for a greater portion of variance in negative psychological outcomes than the conviction of disordered eating-related cognitions (Masuda et al., 5). In other terms, psychological flexibility is a better measure of negative psychological outcomes than those having eating disorders.
The experiment was conducted at a large, public four year university in Georgia. Participants were recruited from undergraduate psychology courses via a web based research participant pool. The survey was an anonymous online test, and a total of 400 students completed the survey. However, not all participants were included in the results. The average time to complete the survey was 30 minutes. Those taking less than 15 minutes or more than 60 minutes, were removed from the analysis. After deletion, 375 participants’ scores were analyzed, with the ages of participants ranging from 17-49 years. Ethnic composition of participants included 42% European American, 28% African American, 13% Asian American/pacific islander, 8% Hispanic American, and 9% bicultural.
Four different tests were implemented within the survey, yielding four different types of questions. All the tests were measured on a Likert type scale, meaning participants rate the question from zero to a certain interval about how strongly they agree or disagree with the item. The first test used was the MAC-R 24. It is a 24 item test with questions designed to measure distorted cognitions and related eating disorders. One example is "If I don't establish a daily routine, everything will be chaotic, and I won't accomplish anything.” The second test was the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-16) which is a 16 item test designed to measure psychological flexibility. One example is “It is OK to feel depressed or anxious, I am able to take action on a problem even if I am uncertain of the right thing to do.” The third test was a General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), a 12 item test designed to measure overall psychological health. Participants were asked to rate frequency with which they experience common behavioral and psychological stressors. Finally, the last test was called the Interpersonal Reactivity Index-personal distress. It was a 7 item test measuring feelings of personal anxiety and uneasiness during tense interpersonal contexts. (Masuda et al., 6).
Researchers originally believed gender would be a big factor, however, gender was analyzed as a possible moderator variable, but failed to prove so. Therefore, gender was disregarded in interpreting the results of the study. Three points of interest resulted. Disordered eating-related cognitions (MAC-R) were positively related to general psychological ill health, psychological flexibility was negatively related to general general psychological health and emotional distress in stressful interpersonal contexts, and conviction of disordered eating-related cognitions and psychological flexibility were significant predictors of general psychological ill health and emotional distress in stressful interpersonal contexts.
What can be learned from this study? As mentioned before, no casual relations can be inferred, due to the cross-sectional nature of the study. In order to understand how negative psychological events are maintained, it may be beneficial to look at disordered eating related cognitions. Recent therapies have been designed with this new knowledge. These therapies undermine symptoms or/and promote psychological health (Masuda et al., 12). Therefore, the present study yields beneficial information about how to better create therapies by understanding the relationship between eating disorders, and negative psychological feelings. In a sense, hope for the future in a complex time of psychological stressors and high needs to fit in.
"Likert Scale." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 23 Oct. 2010. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Likert_scale>.
Masuda, Aki, Matthew Price, Page L. Anderson, and Johanna W. Wendell. "Sign In — Behav Modif." Behavior Modification. Web. 23 Oct. 2010. <http://bmo.sagepub.com/content/34/1/3.full.pdf html>.
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