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The Measurement of Body Image Disturbances in Anorexia Nervosa

Experimental Comparison of Different Methods

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

Manfred M. Fichter ,
Irmgard Meister  and
Hans-Joachim Koch
Manfred M. Fichter*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Munich, Nussbaumstrasse 7, 8000 Munich 2, Federal Republic of Germany and Psychosomatic Hospital Roseneck
Irmgard Meister
Affiliation:
Max-Planck-Institute of Psychiatry, Kraepelinstrasse 10, 8000 Munich 40, FRG
Hans-Joachim Koch
Affiliation:
Institute of Clinical Psychology, University of Munich, Kaulbachstrasse 93, 8000 Munich 40, FRG
*
∗Correspondence
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Abstract

Body image disturbances in anorexia nervosa patients have been assessed in an experimental study which dealt with the following issues: (1) Three different procedures for the assessment of body image disturbances were compared in a discriminant function analysis: (a) a Video Monitor Procedure, (b) the Movable Caliper Procedure and (c) the Image Marking Procedure. The Image Marking Procedure showed the best discrimination between groups. (2) Anorexia nervosa patients showed a statistically significant over-estimation as compared to the control group in the variables ‘waist’, ‘upper thigh’ and the compound measure ‘soft body parts', while they did not overestimate control variables (Kruskal-Wallis-Rank-Analysis of Variance). (3) A standard liquid meal of 240 Kal. had no statistically significant influence on the estimation of body width, irrespective of the amount of calories consumed and instruction given. Possibilities and limitations of various measurement procedures are discussed.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 148 , Issue 4 , April 1986 , pp. 453 - 461
Copyright
Copyright © 1986 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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Footnotes

Dedicated to Professor Hanns Hippius, born 18 April 1925.

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