The significance of overvaluation of weight and shape in binge eating disorder

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2010

Abstract

As publication of DSM-V draws near, research is needed to validate the diagnostic scheme for bingeeatingdisorder (BED). Shape and weightovervaluation has stimulated considerable debate in this regard, given associations with psychosocial impairment and poor treatment outcome in BED. This study sought to further explore the convergent validity and diagnostic specificity of shape and weightovervaluation in BED. A total of 160 women with BED, and 108 women with non-eating disordered psychiatric disorders were recruited from the community. Women with BED were classified as more or less severe based on a global measure of eating-related psychopathology; subsequent receiver operating characteristics analysis determined that a threshold of at least “moderate” overvaluation best predicted membership into a more severe group. BED participants with threshold overvaluation exhibited poorer psychosocial functioning than those with subthreshold overvaluation, as well as participants with other psychiatric disorders. Discriminant function analysis revealed that threshold overvaluation predicted a diagnosis of BED versus other psychiatric disorder with 67.7% accuracy. Results suggest that shape and weightovervaluation is a useful diagnostic specifier in BED. Continued research is warranted to examine its predictive validity in natural course and treatment outcome studies.

Comments

Copyright 2010 Elsevier, Behavior Research and Therapy.

Publication Title

Behavior Research and Therapy

Published Citation

Goldschmidt, A. B., Hilbert, A., Manwaring, J. L., Wilfley, D. E., Pike, K. M., Fairburn, C. G., Dohm, F. A., & Striegel-Moore, R. H. (2010). The significance of overvaluation of weight and shape in binge eating disorder. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 48(3), 187-193.

DOI

10.1016/j.brat.2009.10.008

Peer Reviewed

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