Publications by authors named "Natalie Loxton"

Article Synopsis
  • Obesity rates are rising worldwide, with food addiction (FA) possibly playing a significant role; however, the psychological factors behind FA remain unclear.
  • The bioSocial Cognitive Theory (bSCT), traditionally used for substance use, was tested in this study to understand FA in eating behaviors by introducing punishment sensitivity, showing that it offers a better fit than the original model.
  • The findings indicate that individuals who are drawn to rewards and are sensitive to punishments tend to overestimate the emotional benefits of eating, which could lead to a higher risk of food addiction, highlighting potential areas for intervention.
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The Elaborated Sociocultural Model proposes exposure to sociocultural appearance pressures increases women's internalisation of the thin ideal, their engagement in social comparison and body surveillance, and subsequent body dissatisfaction and disturbances in eating (Fitzsimmons-Craft et al., 2011). Although this model has received some empirical support, it is limited in that it does not currently account for social media as a contemporary source of appearance pressure, nor include additional known outcomes of thin ideal internalisation (i.

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Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (RST) provides a neurobiological personality framework for understanding approach and avoidance behavioural patterns. Recent research suggests an association between RST personality traits (reward interest and behavioural inhibition system [BIS]) and women's body image and eating behaviours. The current study aimed to extend this research by testing for indirect relationships between reward interest and BIS and eating disorder symptoms, as mediated through thin ideal internalisation.

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Thin ideal internalization is widely implicated in women's body image and eating disturbances. A recently proposed multidimensional operationalization of internalization suggests the brevity and construct validity of existing questionnaires may limit the assessment of thin ideal internalization. Therefore, this research aimed to develop a new questionnaire (i.

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The current study assessed cross-lagged relationships between binge drinking, implicit beliefs, and habit in undergraduate university students ( = 105). Students completed self-report survey and implicit measures in lab visits 3 months apart. A structural equation model revealed cross-lagged relations between habit and behavior, and some evidence for a reciprocal relationship between implicit beliefs and habit.

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Problematic alcohol consumption represents a critical risk to young adults' mental and physical health (WHO, 2018). As a result, understanding negative consequences that stem from young adults' binge drinking and inter-related factors that may mitigate increases in binge drinking has much to offer scholars and practitioners. In the current study, a two-wave random intercept cross-lagged panel design was used to examine the reciprocal inter-relations among stress, anticipated regret, and binge drinking within a lab-based study of young adults (N = 109, M = 19.

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The symptoms of addictive eating are often debated, with some overlap in symptoms with substance addictions or other disorders such as binge eating disorder. This study explored the levels of agreement with symptoms of addictive eating among different health professions, the conditions they provide advice for, and the population group/s they work with. An online cross-sectional survey was conducted in February-April 2020 including 142 health professionals (87% female, 65% residing in Australia, 28% each working in private practice/hospital settings).

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Recent research has highlighted the utility of using revised Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (RST) to further understand the individual differences that influence binge eating behaviours. The current study draws on both RST and theoretical models that implicate negative affect in binge eating, with the aim of identifying indirect pathways between individual differences in RST systems and binge eating as mediated through negative affect. Undergraduate students (n = 229, M = 22.

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Adolescence represents a neurodevelopmental period characterised by heightened reward drive and weaker inhibitory control that may increase vulnerability to compulsive overconsumption of highly-palatable foods and food addiction. This narrative review aimed to summarise research investigating the presence of food addiction in adolescents and establish the role that impulsivity traits (i.e.

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Although the thin body ideal has been the epitome of western female beauty for decades, the more recent fit body ideal is becoming arguably more popular. This study aimed to test two versions of the tripartite influence model (TIM; Thompson, Heinberg, Altabe, & Tantleff-Dunn, 1999): one that included thin-ideal internalisation, and one that included fit-ideal internalisation, using path analysis. Participants were 558 Australian women aged 16-50 years (M = 22.

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Despite increasing research on the concept of addictive eating, there is currently no published evidence on the views of health professionals who potentially consult with patients presenting with addictive eating behaviours, or of students training to become health professionals. This study aimed to explore the views and understanding of addictive eating behaviours among health professionals and health professionals in training and to identify potential gaps in professional development training. An international online cross-sectional survey was conducted in February-April 2020.

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Objective: The aim of the current research was to identify the extent to which reward sensitivity and impulsivity were related to food addiction.

Method: Forty-five studies, published from 2009 to June 2019, investigating reward sensitivity and/or impulsivity with food addiction as measured by the Yale Food Addiction Scale were reviewed.

Results: Reward sensitivity, as measured by the Sensitivity to Reward (SR) scale, was positively associated with food addiction in two studies, but failed to yield consistent results in other studies when measured with the Behavioral Inhibition/Behavioral Activation Scales.

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The aim of this study was to investigate both implicit and explicit drinker identity as mediators of reward sensitivity and problematic drinking. University students engage in problematic levels of alcohol consumption, exposing them to increased negative health outcomes. Although personality traits (e.

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The quality of caregiving is often compromised when mothers have co-occurring difficulties such as substance misuse and problems associated with extreme emotional dysregulation. These, in turn, are associated with poor child outcomes. The aim of the current study was twofold.

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Despite growing research investigating prevalence rates of BD among Malaysian women, there has been limited research conducted in Malaysia with respect to factors contributing to its development and consequences. This study tested a subsection of the Tripartite Influence Model, investigating whether sociocultural influences (family, peers, media) lead to thin ideal internalization, which in turn lead to body dissatisfaction (BD) and subsequently restrained eating and bulimic behaviours in both Australian and Malaysian women. Participants were 421 Australian and 399 Malaysian female emerging adults aged between 18 and 25 years, (M = 20.

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Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory has been used to investigate personality in the development and maintenance of disordered eating. However, the vast majority of research from this perspective has been limited by the use of measures developed to assess the original theory, rather than the significantly revised theory, potentially overlooking key personality differences in eating disorder subtypes. The current study aimed to overcome limitations when using measures based on the original theory by investigating differences and similarities in reinforcement sensitivity across eating disorder subtypes and healthy controls.

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Evidence suggests that palatable foods can promote an addictive process akin to drugs of abuse. To date, research in the field of food addiction has focused largely on binge eating as a symptom of this condition. The present study investigated relationships between food addiction and other patterns of overeating, such as compulsive grazing-a behaviour with high relevance to bariatric surgery outcomes.

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The current study aimed to identify how underlying individual differences increases vulnerability to television food advertising. In particular, this study examined how reward sensitivity, a biologically-based predisposition to approach rewards (such as appetitive foods) in the environment, influenced participants' vulnerability to television food advertising and subsequent food consumption. Ninety-eight participants were randomly assigned to a cue condition (food cues versus non-food cues) and then viewed a 30 min documentary interrupted by advertising featuring a mix of food and neutral advertising (food cue condition) or only neutral advertising (non-food cue condition).

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Impulsivity is a core characteristic of externalizing problems and a robust predictor of alcohol use in adolescence. There is little evidence on the causal mechanisms through which impulsivity influences drinking or how they are affected by key social factors (peer influence). This study reports the development of the first comprehensive laboratory model of adolescent impulsivity and alcohol use.

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Previous research has suggested that the expectancy "eating is rewarding" is one pathway driving the relationship between trait reward sensitivity and externally-driven eating. The aim of the current study was to extend previous research by examining the conditions under which the indirect effect of reward sensitivity and external eating via this eating expectancy occurs. Using a conditional indirect effects approach we tested the moderating effect of exposure to food cues (e.

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Sensitivity to the rewarding properties of appetitive substances has long been implicated in excessive consumption of palatable foods and drugs of abuse. Previous research focusing on individual differences in reward responsiveness has found heightened trait reward sensitivity to be associated with binge-eating, hazardous drinking, and illicit substance use. Food addiction has been proposed as an extreme form of compulsive-overeating and has been associated with genetic markers of heightened reward responsiveness.

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Background and aims Impulsivity has consistently been associated with over-consumption and addiction. Recent research has reconceptualized impulsivity as a two-dimensional construct ( Dawe, Gullo, & Loxton, 2004 ). This study explores the relationship of the two components of impulsivity, reward drive (RD) and rash impulsivity (RI), on a broad group of 23 hedonic consumption behaviors (e.

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Although essential to professional competence in psychology, quantitative research methods are a known area of weakness for many undergraduate psychology students. Students find selecting appropriate statistical tests and procedures for different types of research questions, hypotheses and data types particularly challenging, and these skills are not often practiced in class. Decision trees (a type of graphic organizer) are known to facilitate this decision making process, but extant trees have a number of limitations.

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This study tested a modified Tripartite Influence Model with 307 men (age M=27.05; SD=6.25).

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An abundance of research has examined craving and affective responses to alcohol; however, minimal emphasis has been placed on the relationship between craving and affective states at specific time points of alcohol consumption. Fifty-nine university students (28 light drinkers, 31 heavy drinkers) completed assessments of craving, and positive and negative affect at baseline (Time 1), immediately following consumption of a standard drink of alcohol (Time 2), and 20 min post consumption (Time 3). In light drinkers, craving was positively correlated with positive affect at all 3 time points.

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