| dc.description.abstract | Attentional biases and extreme attitudes have been linked to schematic functioning and
development in depression and eating disorders. Previous research concerning attentional biases
toward schema-congruent material in depression and eating disorders has, for the most part,
focused on negatively valenced emotion and body weight/shape material, respectively. The
present study employed a stimulus word list, comprised of 52 words that was compiled from
Brittlebank, Scott, Williams, and Terrier (2003), and Cassin and von Ranson (2005) to assess
extreme attitudes toward schema congruent material. The sample was comprised of 60 female
high school students who participated in the video series Turning Points for Teens: Ontario
Community-Based Treatment for Adolescent Eating D isorders (Davis et al., 2004), as well as
209 female university students. Participants rated each word according to valence (i.e., '’very
positive” to ''very negative”). These valence ratings, in combination with measures of body
image and eating concerns, affect, depression, and self-esteem were employed to explore the
evocative nature of schema-congruent material. Hierarchical multiple regressions indicated that
there was a relationship between scores on the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire
(EDE-Q), body mass index (BMI) and the valence and extremity ascribed to body-related
stimuli. In contrast, scores on the PANAS Positive Affect Scale were related to the valence
ratings ascribed to affect-related words. Furthermore, self-esteem acted as a moderating factor in
the relationships between the scores reported on the psychometric measures and the ascribed
word valence ratings. Lastly, comparison of pre- and post-intervention scores indicated that
participants reported significant reductions in eating and body image concerns, and rated Thin
Body stimuli more moderately following participation in the Turning Points program. | |
