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Body Shape Perception and its Disturbance in Anorexia Nervosa

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

S. W. Touyz ,
P. J. V. Beumont ,
J. K. Collins ,
M. McCabe  and
J. Jupp
S. W. Touyz
Affiliation:
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown. N.S.W. Australia
P. J. V. Beumont*
Affiliation:
University of Sydney, N.S.W., Australia 2006
J. K. Collins
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Macquarie University
M. McCabe
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Macquarie University
J. Jupp
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Macquarie University
*
∗Correspondence.
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Summary

The perception of body shape was studied in 15 female patients with anorexia nervosa and 15 age matched controls. A lens was used which could be manipulated to cause a horizontal distortion of an image projected onto a video monitor. The patients showed a greater tendency to over- and under-estimate their present body shape than did the controls. Further, the patients' desired body shape was significantly thinner than that of controls, as was their estimation of what constitutes a normal body shape. These findings are discussed in relation to the literature and it is suggested that they may have important implications for treatment.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 144 , Issue 2 , February 1984 , pp. 167 - 171
Copyright
Copyright © 1984 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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