A New Measure of Body Image in Eating Disorders
A New Measure of Body Image in Eating Disorders
This study aims to compare a new electronic instrument called (here referred to as the 'Body
 App') with traditional paper and pencil rating scales for assessing how individuals with
 eating disorders evaluate their body image.
Self-perceived weight or shape disturbance is a core symptom of eating disorders, with heavy
 therapeutic and prognostic relevance. Developing a reliable and unbiased method to assess
 body image disturbance is imperative, as feature characteristics of eating disorders, such as
 anorexia nervosa, include the overestimation of body size and shape. Among the most essential
 features of the disorder, this inability to correctly judge one's own body image has been
 frequently linked to the maintenance of eating disorders. Moreover, persistent perceptual
 disturbance for one's visual appearance is one of the strong predictors of relapse in AN and
 bulimia nervosa.

 Body image disturbance can be conceptualized as having two main components: perceptual, and
 attitudinal/affective. These might be considered two distinct constructs, best measured
 independently. However, clinicians currently rely upon self-report questionnaires that
 evaluate aggregates of symptoms, perceptual experiences, behaviors, and thoughts linked to
 the disorder. Some scales selectively evaluate body image characteristics such as body
 dissatisfaction and body distortion. However, it is unclear to what degree each of these
 measures quantifies the specific components of perceptual experiences vs.
 attitudinal/affective aspects. This study aims to evaluate whether a new electronic
 instrument, here referred to as the 'Body App', which separates estimations of body shape and
 size from the attitudinal/affective component might result in closer approximations of the
 perceptual component of weight or shape disturbance, and facilitate the assessment of body
 image disturbance in eating disorders.
Eating disorders group:

 Inclusion Criteria:

 -  Primary clinical diagnosis of eating disorder

 -  Receiving inpatient treatment for eating disorder

 -  Body mass index greater than or equal to 14

 -  Independently ambulatory

 -  Possession of a smartphone with data plan

 -  English proficiency

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Active suicidal ideation

 -  Comorbid schizophrenia spectrum or other psychotic disorder.

 Healthy comparison group:

 Inclusion Criteria:

 -  No current psychiatric diagnosis

 -  Body mass index greater than or equal to 14

 -  Independently ambulatory

 -  Possession of a smartphone with data plan

 -  English proficiency

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Body mass index > 41

 -  Active suicidal ideation