Showing papers by "Tracey D. Wade published in 2012"

A longitudinal investigation of the impact of disordered eating on young women's quality of life.

Abstract: Objective: The extent to which subclinical levels of disordered eating affect quality of life (QOL) was assessed. Method: Four waves of self-report data from Survey 2 (S2) to 5 (S5) of a national longitudinal survey of young Australian women (N = 9,688) were used to assess the impact of any level of disordered eating at S2 on QOL over the following 9 years, and to evaluate any moderating effects of social support and of depression. Results: At baseline, 23% of the women exhibited some level of disordered eating, and they scored significantly lower on both the physical and the mental component scores of the SF-36 at every survey; differences in mental health were still clinically meaningful at S5. Social support and depressive symptoms each acted as a moderator of the mental component scores. Women with both disordered eating and low social support, or disordered eating and depression, had the worst initial scores; although they improved the most over time, they still had the lowest scores at S5. Higher social support at baseline resulted in women with disordered eating being largely indistinguishable from women without disordered eating who had low social support. Lower levels of depression resulted in women with disordered eating having a significantly better QOL than women with high levels of depression, regardless of eating status. Conclusions: This is the first study to examine the long-term impact of subclinical levels of disordered eating on QOL, and it suggests that even apparently minor levels of symptomatology are associated with significant and far-reaching deficits in well-being.

Impact of metacognitive acceptance on body dissatisfaction and negative affect: engagement and efficacy.

Abstract: Objective: To investigate engagement in metacognitive acceptance and subsequent efficacy with respect to decreasing 2 risk factors for disordered eating, body dissatisfaction (BD), and negative affect (NA). Method: In a pilot experiment, 20 female undergraduates (Mage = 24.35, SD = 9.79) underwent a BD induction procedure, received acceptance training using brief written instructions, and were then assessed on engagement in the technique. In a second experiment in which acceptance training was enhanced through the use of video format and a guided experiential exercise, 80 female undergraduates (mean age = 23.59, SD = 8.98) were randomized to an acceptance or control group following the same BD induction. Outcome measures were taken at baseline, postinduction, and posttreatment and consisted of separate visual analogue scales for weight and appearance satisfaction and the NA subscale of the Positive and Negative Affect Scale. Baseline assessments included the Eating Disorder Inventory-BD, Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, Ways of Coping Questionnaire, and the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire. Results: Enhanced training significantly increased engagement in acceptance. Nonengagement was associated with NA, emotion regulation difficulties, and avoidant coping. Acceptance training significantly increased weight and appearance satisfaction and reduced NA relative to control, with no significant differences between those who did and did not engage. Intervention effects were moderated by mindfulness, emotion regulation difficulty, and avoidant coping. Conclusions: Findings provide clarification regarding engagement and lend further support for the utility of acceptance, with particular benefit identified for those "at risk" for emotion regulation difficulty. © 2012 American Psychological Association.

The transdiagnostic process of perfectionism

Abstract: The transdiagnostic approach to theory and treatment of psychological disorders is gain- ing increasing interest. A transdiagnostic process is one that occurs across disorders and explains their onset or maintenance. The purpose of this review is to provide evidence that perfectionism is a transdiagnostic process that it is elevated in anxiety disorders, eating disorders, depression, obses- sive compulsive personality disorder and somatoform disorders. Data are also reviewed to show that perfectionism can explain aetiology as it is a prospective predictor of depression and eating disorders. Perfectionism is also demonstrated to predict poorer outcome to treatment for anxiety disorders, eating disorders and depression, suggesting the need for specific treatment of perfection- ism. Evidence is provided to demonstrate that perfectionism can be successfully treated with cogni- tive behavioural therapy which results in reduction in psychopathologies. Clinical guidelines are outlined to assist in treatment planning for individuals with elevated perfectionism.

Examination of the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-3 in a mixed-gender young-adolescent sample.

Abstract: Thin-ideal (or media) internalization is an important eating disorder risk factor that has become a central target of many prevention programs. However, evidence for its valid assessment in young, mixed-gender, adolescent samples is limited, and the current study is the first to explore the psychometric properties of the 30-item Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-3 (SATAQ-3; J. Thompson, P. van den Berg, M. Roehrig, A. S. Guarda, & L. J. Heinberg, 2004) in a nonadult community sample. Two samples of Grade 8 students (M age 13.68 years), totaling 680 girls (N 332) and boys (N 348) completed the SATAQ-3 and other measures, whereas a smaller sample (N 123) of Grade 10 girls (M age 15.01 years) served as a comparison group for supplementary analyses. Principal component analyses (PCA) with data from Sample 1 (N 201) revealed 4 factors with eigenvalues 1.0, similar to the original authors’ structure but with some cross-loading occurring between the Pressures and Internalization—General scales. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were conducted with data from Sample 2 (N 479) on the factor solution found in the PCA. The model did not fit well, leading to further revisions based on removal of cross-loading items and CFA modification indices, resulting in a 19-item, 4-factor solution with acceptable fit. Examinations of validity and reliability were generally acceptable. The overall findings suggest that an abbreviated version of the SATAQ-3 might be more appropriate than the original version with young-adolescent, mixed-gender audiences. Further examinations of the psychometric properties of the SATAQ-3 with this demographic are indicated.

El proceso transdiagnóstico del perfeccionismo

Abstract: The transdiagnostic approach to theory and treatment of psychological disorders is gainingincreasing interest. A transdiagnostic process is one that occurs across disorders and explainstheir onset or maintenance. The purpose of this review is to provide evidence that perfectionism isa transdiagnostic process that it is elevated in anxiety disorders, eating disorders, depression, obsessivecompulsive personality disorder and somatoform disorders. Data are also reviewed to showthat perfectionism can explain aetiology as it is a prospective predictor of depression and eatingdisorders. Perfectionism is also demonstrated to predict poorer outcome to treatment for anxietydisorders, eating disorders and depression, suggesting the need for specific treatment of perfectionism.Evidence is provided to demonstrate that perfectionism can be successfully treated with cognitivebehavioural therapy which results in reduction in psychopathologies. Clinical guidelines areoutlined to assist in treatment planning for individuals with elevated perfectionism.

Why people choose to not use complementary therapies during cancer treatment: a focus group study

Abstract: While 50% of cancer patients use complementary therapies (CT) during treatment, few studies have examined why individuals choose not to use CT. This study aimed to address this gap in knowledge using a focus group methodology, where 36 participants took part in one of eight groups; participants were recruited until saturation of themes was achieved. Three categories of participants were investigated: patients/recent survivors (n= 14); volunteers/advocates (n= 16), the majority of whom were also long-term survivors; and health professionals (n= 6). Focus groups were digitally audio-recorded, transcribed, and coded thematically using NVivo software. Reasons for non-use fell into four broad themes: (1) Resource barriers, particularly the cost and lack of time; (2) fear and distrust, including the potential for drug interactions; (3) lack of evidence, including the unproven nature of many CT practices; and (4) satisfaction with conventional treatment. Two further themes related to the benefits of non-use and reasons for discontinuation. A sub-analysis indicated that reasons for non-use differed by CT category, with non-use being mentioned more frequently for biologically based and body-based therapies. Differences in understanding CT non-use emerged between patients, volunteers and health professionals. Findings have clinical implications regarding tailoring information for patients during and after cancer.

A cross‐sectional analysis of the cognitive model of bulimia nervosa

Abstract: Objective: The present study aimed to directly test Cooper et al.'s cognitive model of the maintenance of bulimia nervosa. Method: The major predictions of the model were tested cross-sectionally using multiple regression analyses and structural equation modeling in a mixed sample comprising nonclinical female university students (n = 298) and clinical eating disorder patients (n = 44). Results: Consistent with model, negative self-beliefs was associated with negative emotion, negative emotion with positive and negative beliefs about eating, beliefs about eating with eating behavior, and binge eating with negative self-beliefs. However, contrary to hypotheses, results did not consistently support a direct link between compensatory behavior and negative self-beliefs. Furthermore, the role of permissive thoughts was found to be questionable. Of note, results suggested that components of the model may operate to maintain bulimic pathology in a slightly different way for purging and nonpurging behaviors. Discussion: While the results of this research provide some preliminary evidence for the validity of the cognitive model as an explanation of the persistence of bulimic symptoms, further work is required to develop the model. (Int J Eat Disord 2012; 45:776–786)