Changes on the stroop test following treatment: relation to word type, treatment condition, and treatment outcome among women with bulimia nervosa.
OBJECTIVE
To examine changes in speed of information processing on a modification of the Stroop color-naming task following cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) and to evaluate whether changes are associated with word type, treatment condition, or treatment response.


METHODS
Subjects were 98 women aged between 17 and 45 years with a current primary diagnosis of bulimia nervosa who were participating in a randomized clinical trial evaluating CBT. Data were available on all relevant variables for 98 women. Speed of information processing was assessed at pretreatment and posttreatment using a modification of the Stroop color-naming paradigm.


RESULTS
Significant main effects were found for the factors time (pretreatment vs. posttreatment) and word type (food/body words vs. color words, food/body words vs. control words). Predicted interactions between time and word type were not identified.


CONCLUSIONS
Changes in information processing speed over treatment were not specifically associated with word type, treatment condition, or treatment response. Consequently, the utility of the modified Stroop paradigm as a measure of change over time for bulimia nervosa is questioned.
Carter
F A
FA
Department of Psychological Medicine, Christchurch School of Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand.
Bulik
C M
CM
McIntosh
V V
VV
Joyce
P R
PR
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002032:Bulimia / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011581:Psychological Tests; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014825:Vocabulary