Psychometric evaluation of the eating disorder inventory (edi) in a clinical group

Abstract

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI) with a clinical sample of 79 female clients seen at an outpatient eating disorder program. The means and standard deviations for the bulimia nervosa subgroup in this study (n = 48) compared favorably with the bulimia group in the EDI Manual Supplement (1986) on all eight subscales, except Drive for Thinness. The present non-student sample had significantly lower scores on this particular subscale than did the norm group (mostly students). Another difference was that the local bulimic subgroup had significantly higher present and minimum weights (as a percentage of the expected average weight according to height). The EDI subscales also displayed respectable internal consistency reliability with this sample. In contrast to previous research, however, only five factors were found in a factor analysis rather than eight corresponding to the original subscales for the EDI. Differences between bulimic and a not-otherwise-specified (NOS) diagnostic groups were also found on both the EDI Ineffectiveness and Bulimia subscales (NOS had lower scores). The results of this study are discussed in terms of the importance of undertaking local standardization of tests in clinical settings.     

Social cognitions measured in 4 to 6 year olds are predictive of objectively measured physical activity

Objective: This study tested whether social cognitions from the reasoned action approach (RAA) can be reliably measured in a sample of primary school children (aged 4–6 years) and whether these RAA measures are predictive of physical activity.

Design: Longitudinal observational study with repeated measures over six months.

Measures: RAA variables were measured using a novel choice paradigm between physically active and sedentary pastimes. Relative reinforcing value, covariates (sex, age, deprivation and BMI) and physical activity by accelerometry (primary outcome) were also measured.

Results: RAA cognitions could be measured with acceptable retest reliability and discriminant validity and social norms regarding parents and teachers (but not friends) were correlated with physical activity and change in physical activity when relative reinforcing value and other covariates were controlled for.

Conclusions: RAA cognitions can be reliably measured in primary school children aged 4–6 and RRA measures appear useful in understanding children’s activity choices and may potentially inform future interventions.     

Whole-body posture planning in anticipation of a manual prehension task: Prospective and retrospective effects

This study examined the extent to which the anticipation of a manual action task influences whole-body postural planning and orientation. Our participants walked up to a drawer, opened the drawer, then grasped and moved an object in the drawer to another location in the same drawer. The starting placement of the object within the drawer and the final placement of the object in the drawer were varied across trials in either a blocked design (i.e., in trials where the same start and end location were repeated consecutively) or in a mixed fashion. Of primary interest was the posture adopted at the moment of grasping the drawer handle before pulling it out prior to the object manipulation task. Of secondary interest was whether there were sequential effects such that postures adopted in preceding trials influenced postures in subsequent trials. The results indicated that the spatial properties of the forthcoming object manipulation influenced both the postures adopted by the participants and the degree to which the drawer was opened, suggesting a prospective effect. In addition, the adopted postures were more consistent in blocked trials than in mixed trials, suggesting an additional retrospective effect. Overall, our findings suggest that motor planning occurs at the level of the whole body, and reflects both prospective and retrospective influences.     

(Don’t) Tell Me How It Ends: Spoilers,Enjoyment, and Involvement in Television and Film

ABSTRACT

As more people time shift their televsion viewing and engage in online discussions about entertainment media, public concern over spoilers, the premature disclosure of narrative outcomes, has increased. This article reports results from two experiments and a survey that reassess and extend recent findings about the impact of spoilers on enjoyment. Relying on audiovisual media, the studies test processing fluency as a mediator, and involvement, need for cognition, and need for affect as moderators. Study 1 suggested that genre and involvement can moderate negative effects of spoilers on enjoyment of scenes from television and film. Study 2 illustrated that spoilers for upcoming films are more likely to trigger psychological reactance than substantially impact enjoyment and viewing intentions. Finally, Study 3 showed that spoilers for a television series adapted from novels are beneficial for audience responses if the adaptation is faithful to the source. Partial support was obtained for mediation via processing fluency, and involvement and need for affect moderated some effects of spoilers. Taken as a whole, the findings illustrate that, just as in previous experiments using short stories, spoilers for television and film appear to have quite small and qualified effects on audience responses to these programs.     

Out of Sight Is Not Out of Mind: Developmental Changes in Infants' Understanding of Visual Perception During the Second Year

Three experiments investigated 14-, 18-, and 24- month-old infants' understanding of visual perception. Infants viewed films in which a protagonist was either able to view the location of a hidden object (Visual Access condition) or was blindfolded when the object location was revealed (No Visual Access condition). When requested to find the object, the protagonist pointed either at the correct location or at the incorrect location. Across experiments, 18-month-olds looked longer at the unexpected action (e.g., person pointing at the incorrect location in the Visual Access condition). By 24 month of age, infants could infer the correct search behavior from gaze alone. These findings suggest that by the middle of the second year of life, infants understand the psychological relation between an observer and an object, even if the object is no longer visible.     

Is False Belief Skin-Deep? The Agent's Eye Status Influences Infants' Reasoning in Belief-Inducing Situations

Two experiments were conducted to determine if infants attribute false beliefs to others when tested with the violation-of-expectancy procedure. In Experiment 1, the false-belief task was administered to 14- and 18-month-old infants. The procedure was identical to the one used by Onishi and Baillargeon (2005 Onishi , K. H. , & Baillargeon , R. ( 2005 ). Do 15-month-old infants understand false beliefs? Science , 308 , 255 – 258 . doi: 10.1126/science.1107621 [Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]), except that two transparent boxes replaced the opaque boxes. Results revealed that infants looked longer when the agent searched in the empty box, a pattern of looking time opposite to the one typically observed with opaque boxes. It is, however, unclear whether infants' behavior was simply guided by their own visual access to the toy's location visible through the transparent box. To test this alternative explanation, Experiment 2 was conducted with 14- and 18-month-old infants. Infants were administered the same modified nonverbal false-belief task with transparent boxes, except that the agent wore a blindfold during the test phase. Contrary to Experiment 1, results revealed that infants were not surprised when the agent searched in either of the two transparent boxes and therefore appeared to treat her as ignorant. These findings demonstrate that infants' psychological reasoning system is more rigid than later forms when predicting an agent's future actions.     

A Cross-Cultural Study of Depression in the Aftermath of a Natural Disaster

This study evaluated the extent and severity of depressive symptoms among adults (n=1015) in Armenia one year after the 1988 earthquake, using an Armenian translation of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-Arm). Earthquake surivivors had higher levels of depression than did their non-earthquake counterparts. For both the quake and non-quake regions, women were found to have higher scores on the BDI-Arm than men, and persons between the ages of 31–55 reported significantly higher depressive ratings than individuals who were 17–30. Interactions between the quake and non-quake areas and gender indicated that women in both areas reported significantly more depressive symptoms than men. The psychometric properties of the BDI-Arm compared favorably to those defined by North American studies.     

Women Experiencing Psychological Abuse: Are They a Homogenous Group?

Dichotomizing women as “abused” versus “not abused” assumes that any psychological maltreatment results in similar outcomes. A national sample of women in conflictual relationships completed an online survey. Women with no incidence (N = 33), the lowest quartile (N = 86), and the top quartile (N = 81) of psychological maltreatment demonstrated significant differences in reactions to the maltreatment, mental health indicators, personality variables, perceived harm, problematic relationship schemas, and response styles. Women with no psychological abuse and women in the lowest quartile produced similar scores that were typically distinct from the top-quartile women. Effective treatment of women with lower amounts of psychological abuse might not require a unique intervention likely necessary for women experiencing much psychological abuse.     

Gender Differences in Reporting Psychological Abuse in a National Sample

Understanding the nature and impact of psychological abuse for males and females is crucial because it might be the precursor of other forms of violence. This study examines reported gender differences in psychologically abusive acts using a national sample of U.S. citizens. The data were collected anonymously from an online administration of the Measure of Psychological Abuse (MPAB). Other measures were included to assess outcomes that might occur due to psychological abuse. Results indicate that there are more similarities than differences in the gender reports of psychological abuse. Compared to males' reports, differences include female reports of certain behaviors leading to more negative emotional and behavioral impact and more negative outcomes due to being in a psychologically abusive relationship.