AI Article Synopsis

  • Interoceptive awareness (IA) is impaired in individuals with eating disorders (EDs), but the relationship between IA and ED symptoms is not well understood.
  • The study employed network analysis to identify central symptoms in the IA-ED relationship and found that a strong desire to lose weight and feelings of guilt were central symptoms.
  • The research suggested that the feeling of not being safe in one's body serves as a bridge between IA and ED symptoms, and targeting both central and bridge symptoms may enhance treatment outcomes for individuals with EDs.

Article Abstract

Interoceptive awareness (IA), or the awareness of internal body states, is known to be impaired in individuals with eating disorders (EDs); however, little is understood about how IA and ED symptoms are connected. Network analysis is a statistical approach useful for examining how symptoms interrelate and how comorbidities may be maintained. The present study used network analysis to (1) test central symptoms within an IA-ED network, (2) identify symptoms that may bridge the association between IA and ED symptoms, and (3) explore whether central and bridge symptoms predict ED remission at discharge from intensive treatment. A regularized partial correlation network was estimated in a sample of 428 adolescent ( = 187) and adult ( = 241) ED patients in a partial hospital program. IA was assessed using items from the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness, and ED symptoms were assessed using items from the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire. Central symptoms within the network were strong desire to lose weight, feeling guilty, and listening for information from the body about emotional state. The most central symptom bridging IA and ED symptoms was (not) feeling safe in one's body. Of the central symptoms, greater desire to lose weight predicted lower likelihood of remission at treatment discharge. Bridge symptoms did not significantly predict remission. Body mistrust may be a mechanism by which associations between IA and EDs are maintained. Findings suggest targeting central and bridge symptoms may be helpful to improve IA and ED symptoms. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

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Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8140607PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/abn0000516DOI Listing

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