Influence of stress on attitude to drive for thinnes and bulimia.

2.  The relationship between stress and
eating has been investigated extensively
but led to conflicting results (Greneno & Wing,
1994).

3.  Stress produces different effects on
eating:
› Restrained eaters tend to food control Heartherton et al.,
1991; Poly & Herman, 1999), and emotional eaters
consume more energy and fat (Drapeao et al., 2003);
› Male individuals in the stress group eat less than individuals
in control group; however there were no significant
differences female individuals (Weinstein et al., 1997);
› Female individuals eat more food than males (Oliver et al.,
2000), but males showed a reduction of food intake
(Grumberg et al., 2002).

4.  A recent study found that tendency to
Drive for Thinness and Bulimia dimensions
are associated with perfectionism in
stressful situations (Ruggiero, Levi, Ciuna,
& Sassaroli, 2003).

5.  The need of control is another important
cognitive aspect of eating.
 Dietary restrictions enhance the
subjective perception of being in control
(Slade, 1982).

6.  This study explores the relationship
between stress, induced in laboratory,
and drive for thinness and bulimia,
cognition related to eating using a
correlational methodology.

7.  Sample
› 80 subjects :
 40 males, age 30,25 and SD 5,07;
 40 females, age 29,50 and SD 4,07.
 The groups are matched for sex and age

8.  Questionnaires:
› Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (MPS, Frost, 1990);
› Anxious Control Questionnaire (ACQ, Kyrios, 2006);
› Eating Disorder Inventory 3 (EDI-2, Rizzardi et al., 1995);
› General Health Questionnaire (GHQ, Golberg, 1978).
 Working memory task derived from n-back paradigm;

9.  Literature suggests that cognitive
interference is a factor used to induce
stress in laboratory (Ward & Mann, 2000;
Owen, 2003;D’Esposito et al., 2005).
 Spatial working memory task was aimed
to producing cognitive interferences
(Owen et al., 2003; 2004; 2005).

10. 0 - back
2 - back Response:
Yes
Response:
1 - back Yes
Response: No
Response:
No
Response: No
Response: Yes
(Jionides, et al, 1999)

11.  After the cognitive task we
administered again EDI 3 to evaluate
the influence of stress (EDI-3, Rizzardi
et al., 1995).

12. Vertical bars denote 0,95 confidence intervals
24
A graphical 22
representation of
ANOVA that revealed a 20
change in T0 and T1 18
and the two EDI
Percentage of responces
subscales. 16
14
12
10
8
6
4
T0 T1 Drive for Thinnes
Bulimia
Time

13.  The estimated model of Perfectionism, Control and Stress on Drive for Thinness. Please
note that standardized coefficients are presented. For ease of presentation, error terms
were omitted. *p < .05. Fitting index data: (χ2 =16769.25; gdl = 387; p < .001; CFI = .960;
NNFI = .956; GFI=.967; AGFI=.968; RMSEA = .034)

14.  The estimated model of Perfectionism, Control and Stress on Bulimia. Please note that
standardized coefficients are presented. For ease of presentation, error terms were
omitted. *p < .05. Fitting index data: (χ2 = 16769.25; df = 387; p < .01; CFI = .957; NNFI =
.956; GFI = .975; AGFI = .978; RMSEA = .027).

15.  The results of the present study can be
interpreted as a support to the
hypothesis that stress is a factor that is
related to cognitive and behavioural
features of tendency of eating disorder.
 These features include a desire to
become thinner, and bulimic impulses of
binging and purging.

16.  This study suggests that stressful situations
can be a prodromal factor that plays a
role in the mechanism leading to the
development of an eating disorder.
 Path analysis shows two different
cognitive models for the mechanism
leading to Drive for Thinness and Bulimia.

17.  In the end, these model of operation, in our
opinion, are derived from two different cognitive
structures present in individuals with ED.
 In fact, stress in clients with anorexia exacerbates
cognitive variables of perfectionism and control,
already present in the patient's personality
structure, while in Bulimic leads to perfection and
control mechanisms that were not manifest
variables.

18.  The limitations of the study include the
small sample size and the use of non-
clinical participants.
 In the future given the good results
would be important to replicate it using
a clinical sample.

19.  Thanks for attention!
 f.fiore@studicognitivi.net