Handedness differences in body image distortion and eating disorder symptomatology.
OBJECTIVE
Previous research has shown decreased access in strong right-handers to processes lateralized to the right cerebral hemisphere. The current studies tested the hypothesis that decreased access to right hemisphere processes, as indexed by increasing strength of right-hand preference, is associated with deficits in body image representation.


METHODS
Experiment 1 measured individual's perceived versus actual BMI values. Experiment 2 involved the administration of the Eating Disorders Inventory-2 (EDI-2).


RESULTS
Experiment 1 revealed that strong right-handedness was associated with a larger discrepancy between actual and perceived BMI, relative to mixed-handedness. In Experiment 2, strong-handers scored higher on the EDI-2 than did mixed-handers.


CONCLUSIONS
The results indicate that strong degrees of handedness are associated with deficits in accurate representation of body image and with increased eating disorder symptomatology in a nonclinical sample. Implications for research into the neural bases of eating disorders are discussed.
Christman
Stephen D
SD
Department of Psychology, University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio 43606, USA. stephen.christman@utoledo.edu
Bentle
Michelle
M
Niebauer
Christopher L
CL
D000328:Adult; D001828:Body Image; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010469:Perceptual Distortion; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires