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Verma S. A case for re-conceptualizing the 'atypical'-A lived experience perspective. Int J Eat Disord 2024; 57:1026-1028. [PMID: 37897094 DOI: 10.1002/eat.24086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2023] [Revised: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Sumedha Verma
- Eating Disorders Victoria, Abbotsford, Victoria, Australia
- InsideOut Institute for Eating Disorders, Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine & Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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Fitterman-Harris HF, Han Y, Osborn KD, Faulkner LM, Williams BM, Pennesi JL, Levinson CA. Comparisons between atypical anorexia nervosa and anorexia nervosa: Psychological and comorbidity patterns. Int J Eat Disord 2024; 57:903-915. [PMID: 38288579 PMCID: PMC11018480 DOI: 10.1002/eat.24147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Literature comparing "atypical" anorexia nervosa (atypical AN) and anorexia nervosa (AN) suggests these diagnoses share significant similarities in eating disorder (ED) pathology and psychiatric comorbidities. This study evaluated potential differences in ED pathology, psychiatric comorbidity, associated mechanisms (i.e., ED fears and perfectionism), and demographic factors (i.e., ethnicity and age) between individuals with atypical AN and AN. METHOD Data from seven protocols were combined for a total 464 individuals diagnosed with atypical AN (n = 215) or AN (n = 249). Between-group differences in ED severity and behaviors, psychiatric comorbidities, ED fears, perfectionism, and demographic factors were assessed using t-tests, Wilcoxon rank-sum tests, and Fisher's exact test. RESULTS Participants with atypical AN reported higher levels of overvaluation of weight and shape than those with AN. Participants with AN scored higher on food-related fears (anxiety about eating, food avoidance behaviors, and feared concerns) and fears of social eating, as well as obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Participants with AN were more likely to identify as Asian or Pacific Islander. No other statistically significant differences were found between groups for overall ED severity, ED behaviors, psychiatric comorbidities, general ED fears, perfectionism, or demographic factors. DISCUSSION Overall, results support previous literature indicating limited differences between individuals with atypical AN and AN, though individuals with atypical AN reported more overvaluation of weight and shape and those with AN reported higher food and social eating fears and obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Relatively few overall differences between atypical AN and AN highlight the importance of exploring dimensional conceptualizations of AN as an alternative to the current categorical conceptualization. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE This study assessed differences among individuals with atypical anorexia nervosa and anorexia nervosa in eating disorder severity and behaviors, comorbid psychiatric diagnoses, associated mechanisms, and demographic factors. Few differences emerged, though participants with atypical anorexia nervosa reported more overvaluation of weight and shape, while those with anorexia nervosa reported more food and social eating fears and higher obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Results support exploration of these diagnoses as a spectrum disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yuchen Han
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, University of Louisville
| | - Kimberly D. Osborn
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Louisville
- School of Community Health Sciences, Counseling and Counseling Psychology, Oklahoma State University
| | - Loie M. Faulkner
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Louisville
| | - Brenna M. Williams
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Louisville
| | - Jamie-Lee Pennesi
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Louisville
| | - Cheri A. Levinson
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Louisville
- Department of Pediatrics – Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Louisville
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Silbiger K. Mental health providers' perceptions of restrictive eating disorders: Relationship with client body weight. Int J Eat Disord 2024; 57:916-923. [PMID: 38291927 DOI: 10.1002/eat.24154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study investigated whether mental health providers have different diagnostic impressions and treatment recommendations for patients with restrictive eating disorders, depending on the patient's body weight. METHOD Participants were given one of three versions of a vignette depicting a patient who meets DSM-5 criteria for anorexia nervosa (AN) or atypical AN with the patient's weight described as either below, within, or above the average range for her age and height. Participants were then asked to respond to a series of questions about diagnosis, symptoms, and treatment recommendations. Results were compared between the three weight conditions with the goal of better understanding how a patient's body weight may influence different aspects of participants' clinical impressions. RESULTS Participants given the low weight version of the vignette were more likely to identify the presenting problem as an eating disorder and to agree that the patient experienced dietary restriction and weight loss, weight gain avoidance, and body image concerns. Participants given the low weight description were also more likely to recommend specialized eating disorder treatment and medical follow-up. DISCUSSION Findings suggest that mental health providers were generally more responsive to restrictive eating disorder symptoms when the patient was at a lower body weight. These results are concerning because they suggest patients with atypical AN may be less likely to receive an accurate diagnosis or adequate treatment compared to underweight patients with AN, despite experiencing the same symptoms. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE Restrictive eating disorders like AN and atypical AN can cause comparable physical and psychological symptoms in people of any body weight. Despite having the same symptoms, people with a higher body weight are less likely to receive a diagnosis or treatment. This study compared mental health providers' reactions to a description of a patient with an eating disorder at different body weights and found differences in diagnosis, detection of symptoms, and treatment recommendations.
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Harrop EN, Hecht HK, Harner V, Call J, Holloway BT. "How Do I Exist in This Body…That's Outside of the Norm?" Trans and Nonbinary Experiences of Conformity, Coping, and Connection in Atypical Anorexia. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2023; 20:1156. [PMID: 36673911 PMCID: PMC9859328 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20021156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Addressing eating disorders (EDs) within trans and nonbinary (TNB) populations is a growing concern, as TNB individuals are two to four times more likely to experience EDs than cisgender women. This study explored the lived experiences of TNB people with atypical anorexia by examining how gender identity impacted experiences of ED illness and (potential) recovery. Nine TNB adults with atypical anorexia were followed for one year and completed semi-structured, in-depth, longitudinal qualitative interviews at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. Interviews were coded using Braun and Clark's thematic analysis procedures. Four themes, along with subthemes, emerged regarding the intersection of gender identity and ED experiences: (1) Conforming, (2) Coping, (3) Connecting, and (4) Critiquing. In Conforming, participants highlighted how societal pressures around gender contributed to ED vulnerability. In Coping, participants explained that their EDs represented attempts to cope with the overlapping influences of body dissatisfaction, gender dysphoria, and body disconnection. In Connecting, participants described ED recovery as a process of connecting to self, others, and communities that welcomed and affirmed their diverse identities. In Critiquing, participants described how current ED treatment settings were often unwelcoming of or unprepared for non-cisgender patients. Overall, participants viewed their EDs as intricately linked to their gender identity and experiences of social pressure and discrimination. This study suggests the need for targeted ED prevention and intervention efforts within TNB communities, and the ethical imperative to meaningfully address the needs of TNB patients in ED treatment settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin N. Harrop
- Graduate School of Social Work, University of Denver, Denver, CO 80208, USA
| | - Hillary K. Hecht
- Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Vern Harner
- Harborview Injury Prevention & Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98104, USA
- School of Social Work and Criminal Justice, University of Washington Tacoma, Tacoma, WA 98402, USA
| | - Jarrod Call
- School of Social Work and Criminal Justice, University of Washington Tacoma, Tacoma, WA 98402, USA
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McEntee ML, Philip SR, Phelan SM. Dismantling weight stigma in eating disorder treatment: Next steps for the field. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1157594. [PMID: 37113547 PMCID: PMC10126256 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1157594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The authors posit current guidelines and treatment for eating disorders (EDs) fail to adequately address, and often perpetuate, weight stigma. The social devaluation and denigration of higher-weight individuals cuts across nearly every life domain and is associated with negative physiological and psychosocial outcomes, mirroring the harms attributed to weight itself. Maintaining focus on weight in ED treatment can intensify weight stigma among patients and providers, leading to increased internalization, shame, and poorer health outcomes. Stigma has been recognized as a fundamental cause of health inequities. With no clear evidence that the proposed mechanisms of ED treatment effectively address internalized weight bias and its association with disordered eating behavior, it is not hard to imagine that providers' perpetuation of weight bias, however unintentional, may be a key contributor to the suboptimal response to ED treatment. Several reported examples of weight stigma in ED treatment are discussed to illustrate the pervasiveness and insidiousness of this problem. The authors contend weight management inherently perpetuates weight stigma and outline steps for researchers and providers to promote weight-inclusive care (targeting health behavior change rather than weight itself) as an alternative approach capable of addressing some of the many social injustices in the history of this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mindy L. McEntee
- College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, United States
- *Correspondence: Mindy L. McEntee,
| | - Samantha R. Philip
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Sean M. Phelan
- Division of Health Care Delivery Research, Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
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Krug I, Giles SE, Granero R, Agüera Z, Sánchez I, Sánchez-Gonzalez J, Jimenez-Murcia S, Fernandez-Aranda F. Where does purging disorder lie on the symptomatologic and personality continuum when compared to other eating disorder subtypes? Implications for the DSM. Eur Eat Disord Rev 2021; 30:36-49. [PMID: 34825434 DOI: 10.1002/erv.2872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To assess the clinical significance and distinctiveness of purging disorder (PD) from other eating disorder (ED) diagnoses. METHOD Participants included 3127 women consecutively admitted to an ED treatment centre (246 PD, 465 anorexia nervosa restrictive [AN-R], 327 AN-binge purging [AN-BP], 1436 bulimia nervosa [BN], 360 binge eating disorder [BED], 177 atypical AN and 116 unspecified feeding or eating disorder [UFED]) who were diagnosed according to DSM-5 criteria. Additionally, 822 control participants were recruited from the community. All participants completed measures assessing ED symptoms (EDI-2), general psychopathology (SCL-90-R) and personality (TCI-R). RESULTS Patients with PD, when compared to controls, scored significantly higher on the EDI-2 and SCL-90-R, and most TCI-R dimensions. Most of the significant differences between PD and the other ED diagnoses emerged between PD and AN-R, followed by Atypical-AN, UFED, AN-BP and BED, with patients with PD typically reporting higher scores on the EDI-2 and SCL-90-R subscales. Significant differences between PD and BN were also present, but to a lesser extent. The findings for personality varied amongst the different ED diagnoses. CONCLUSIONS PD is a clinically significant disorder, which seems to be more similar to BN than it is to AN and the other ED subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Krug
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sarah Elizabeth Giles
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Roser Granero
- Ciber Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), Instituto Salud Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Psychobiology and Methodology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Zaida Agüera
- Ciber Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), Instituto Salud Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital of Bellvitge, Barcelona, Spain.,Psychiatry and Mental Health Group, Neuroscience Program, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge - IDIBELL, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Public Health, Mental Health and Perinatal Nursing, School of Nursing, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Isabel Sánchez
- Ciber Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), Instituto Salud Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital of Bellvitge, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Susana Jimenez-Murcia
- Ciber Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), Instituto Salud Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital of Bellvitge, Barcelona, Spain.,Psychiatry and Mental Health Group, Neuroscience Program, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge - IDIBELL, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Clinical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Fernando Fernandez-Aranda
- Ciber Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), Instituto Salud Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital of Bellvitge, Barcelona, Spain.,Psychiatry and Mental Health Group, Neuroscience Program, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge - IDIBELL, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Clinical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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Masheb RM, Ramsey CM, Marsh AG, Decker SE, Maguen S, Brandt CA, Haskell SG. DSM-5 eating disorder prevalence, gender differences, and mental health associations in United States military veterans. Int J Eat Disord 2021; 54:1171-1180. [PMID: 33665848 DOI: 10.1002/eat.23501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Revised: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Little is known about prevalence estimates of new and revised DSM-5 eating disorders diagnoses in general, and especially among high-risk, underserved and diverse eating disorder populations. The aim of the current study was to determine prevalence, gender differences and correlates of DSM-5 eating disorders in veterans. METHOD Iraq and Afghanistan war era veterans (N = 1,121, 51.2% women) completed the Eating Disorder Diagnostic Scale-5 and validated measures of eating pathology and mental health between July 2014 and September 2019. RESULTS Overall more women than men (32.8% vs. 18.8%, p < .001) reported symptoms consistent with a DSM-5 eating disorder. Prevalence estimates (women vs. men) for the specific diagnoses were: Anorexia Nervosa (AN; 0.0% vs. 0.0%), Bulimia Nervosa (BN; 6.1% vs. 3.5%), Binge-Eating Disorder (BED; 4.4% vs. 2.9%), Atypical AN (AAN; 13.6% vs. 4.9%), Subclinical BN (0.0% vs. 0.2%), Subclinical BED (1.4% vs. 0.6%), Purging Disorder (2.1% vs. 0.7%), and Night Eating Syndrome (NES; 5.2% vs. 6.0%). Women were more likely to have BN or AAN, and there was no difference for BED or NES among genders. The eating disorder group had a higher mean BMI, and significantly greater eating pathology and mental health symptoms than the non-eating disorder group. DISCUSSION Approximately one-third of women, and one-fifth of men, reported symptoms consistent with a DSM-5 eating disorder diagnosis. These high prevalence estimates across genders, and associated mental health concerns, suggest an urgent need to better understand and address eating disorders in military and veteran populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin M Masheb
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut, USA.,Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Christine M Ramsey
- Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.,Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Alison G Marsh
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Suzanne E Decker
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut, USA.,Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Shira Maguen
- University of California San Francisco Medical School, San Francisco, CA, USA.,San Francisco VA Health Care System, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Cynthia A Brandt
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut, USA.,Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Sally G Haskell
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut, USA.,Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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Abstract
This article examines one patient's experiences with weight bias in an inpatient eating disorder treatment setting with a focus on interactions between the patient and her primary therapist. These therapeutic interactions had multiple unintended consequences, including bolstering feelings of denial, modeling of disordered behaviors, and disrupting the therapeutic alliance. Additional instances of weight bias with other treatment professionals, including an inpatient nutritionist and psychiatrist, are briefly discussed. The article ends with several brief recommendations for how clinicians can more skillfully approach issues of weight and size in the therapeutic alliance in order to resist size-related oppressions rather than reinforce them.
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Darrow SM, Accurso EC, Nauman ER, Goldschmidt AB, Le Grange D. Exploring Types of Family Environments in Youth with Eating Disorders. Eur Eat Disord Rev 2017; 25:389-396. [PMID: 28675592 DOI: 10.1002/erv.2531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2017] [Revised: 05/08/2017] [Accepted: 05/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
While many studies have explored the relationship between different eating disorder diagnoses and the familial social environment, current evidence does not support associations between distinct family interaction patterns (e.g. high enmeshment) and particular diagnoses (e.g. anorexia nervosa). The current study seeks to move beyond the current literature to explore whether empirically derived subtypes of family environment are associated with clinical features within a transdiagnostic sample of youth seeking treatment for eating disorders (n = 123). Latent class modelling of the Family Environment Scale identified three classes (i.e. different Family Environment Scale profiles): (1) Control-Oriented; (2) System Maintenance-Oriented; and (3) Conflict-Oriented. Data are presented to characterize the classes (e.g. age, gender, rates of different eating disorders, severity of eating disorder pathology and rates of comorbid disorders). These preliminary results suggest that family interaction types may help personalize treatment for eating disorders and encourage future research to guide such efforts. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina M Darrow
- Department of Psychiatry, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Erin C Accurso
- Department of Psychiatry, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Emily R Nauman
- Department of Psychiatry, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Andrea B Goldschmidt
- Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, The Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Daniel Le Grange
- Department of Psychiatry, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
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