Body checking as a behavioral link: a preliminary study assessing inhibition and its association to idiosyncratic body checking in anorexia nervosa.

Body checking (BC) is a behavioral feature of anorexia nervosa (AN), which is also present in obsessive-compulsive (OC) disorders. This study assessed whether increased body checking in AN patients correlated with deficits in cognitive inhibition. A battery of neuropsychological tests (the Ravello Profile), OC disorder measures, and the Body Checking Questionnaire (BCQ) were administered to nine adolescent females being treated for AN at an in-patient hospital in Scotland, UK.

Nursing staff knowledge and attitudes towards deliberate self-harm in adults and adolescents in an inpatient setting.

Background: This paper investigates the relationship between care staff perceptions' of self-harm behaviours presented by adult and adolescent inpatients and the emotional responses and helping behaviours of the staff.

Method: Seventy-six nursing staff participated, including qualified and unqualified staff, who worked in either adolescent or adult secure inpatient settings within a single organization. Participants completed vignette, knowledge, and attitudes questionnaires, related to working with patients who display deliberate self-harm.