Eating Expectancies Across Stages of Recovery (2010)

Undergraduates: Dara Keatts, Ellen E. Fitzsimmons M.A. Clinical Psychology

Faculty Advisor: Anna Bardone-Cone
Department: Psychology & Neuroscience

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This study examined eating expectancies across stages of recovery from an eating disorder. Participants were individuals seen at some point for an eating disorder at a Midwestern primary care and referral clinic for adolescents. Fifty-three currently met DSM-IV criteria for an eating disorder per the SCID, 20 were categorized as fully recovered (physically: BMI?18.5 kg/m2; behaviorally: no bingeing, purging, or fasting in the last three months; psychologically: all EDE-Q subscales scores within 1 SD of age-matched norms), and 15 were categorized as partially recovered (criteria for full recovery met except for EDE-Q scores). An additional 67 participants represented a healthy control group (i.e., no current or past eating disorder). Eating expectancies were assessed using the Eating Expectancy Inventory, which evaluates beliefs regarding the consequences of eating. Results indicated significant group differences in regards to three of the five subscales: Eating Helps to Manage Negative Affect, Eating is Pleasurable and Useful as a Reward, and Eating Leads to Feeling out of Control. In contrast, group differences did not emerge for the Eating Enhances Cognitive Competence and Eating Alleviates Boredom subscales. Healthy controls and fully recovered individuals did not differ on any of the expectancies. Results suggest that certain expectancies may be important to the recovery process, and provide further support for a comprehensive definition of recovery.