Disturbed communication in eating disorders

Anorexia nervosa: aetiological theories and treatment methods

There is a rapidly developing but confusing body of research on anorexia nervosa. For the non-specialist, trends in research are obscured by a diversity of definitions and variations in the proposed locus of pathology: the individual, the family or the socio-cultural environment. While anorexia is a disorder which particularly needs research from a wide range of perspectives, it is vital that the different trends are frequently reviewed and, in the treatment process, integrated. This review summarizes the most significant developments in research on anorexia, and serves as an overview for clinicians wishing to consult the literature selectivity and in more depth.

Relation of suggestibility to obesity

73 subjects participated in an experiment designed to determine whether there is a positive correlation between obesity and suggestibility. Each subject was tested individually for suggestibility, using the Barber Suggestibility Scale under task-motivational conditions. The percentage overweight was estimated for each subject and correlated with the Objective and Subjective suggestibility scores. The correlations were not significant and suggestibility did not increase with an increase in obesity. When the suggestibility scores for the obese subjects were compared with the scores obtained by normal and obese subjects by other investigators, it was clear that obese persons' levels of suggestibility were no greater than that for the general population. There was also no significant relationship between age and suggestibility scores. Implications for treatment and demand characteristics of the experimental situation were discussed.