Triggering binge eating: An evaluation of mood and purge opportunity
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to evaluate how negative emotional arousal and purge opportunity may interact to trigger binge eating behavior and/or perceptions among individuals with different levels of bulimic symptomatology. Accordingly, participants, who either did or did not have access to a private bathroom, were induced into an elated or a depressed mood, asked to eat ice cream, and evaluated their eating. The results indicated that, consistent with the purge opportunity hypothesis, the bathroom manipulation affected the amount of ice cream the vomiting participants consumed. Also found was an enhanced cognitive bias toward negative eating evaluations as the participants' level of bulimic symptomatology increased. Contrary to what was predicted, however, the vomiting participants differentially responded to the mood induction procedure depending on whether or not there was a bathroom available. Specifically, the vomiters responded to the mood induction procedure when there was not bathroom available, but did not significantly change their moods when there was one. Finally, no evidence was found for negative emotional arousal triggering increased eating behavior or the perception of binge eating.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Vrana, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Psychotherapy|Behaviorial sciences
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