title: Overestimation of body size in eating disorders and its association to body-related avoidance behavior.
abstract: Body-related avoidance behavior, e.g., not looking in the mirror, is a common feature of eating disorders. It is assumed that it leads to insufficient feedback concerning one's own real body form and might thus contribute to distorted mental representation of one's own body. However, this assumption still lacks empirical foundation. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between misperception of one's own body and body-related avoidance behavior in N = 78 female patients with Bulimia nervosa and eating disorder not otherwise specified. Body-size misperception was assessed using a digital photo distortion technique based on an individual picture of each participant which was taken in a standardized suit. In a regression analysis with body-related avoidance behavior, body mass index and weight and shape concerns as predictors, only body-related avoidance behavior significantly contributed to the explanation of body-size overestimation. This result supports the theoretical assumption that body-related avoidance behavior makes body-size overestimation more likely.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Osnabrück, Osnabrück, Germany, annavoss@uni-muenster.de.
authors.forename: Anna N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Vossbeck-Elsebusch
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Waldorf
authors.forename: Tanja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Legenbauer
authors.forename: Anika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cordes
authors.forename: Silja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vocks
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001362:Avoidance Learning; D057215:Body Dysmorphic Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D001828:Body Image; D015992:Body Mass Index; D049628:Body Size; D001835:Body Weight; D052018:Bulimia Nervosa / Q000523:psychology*; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012649:Self Concept; D055815:Young Adult