Innovative Interventions for Disordered Eating: A Pilot Comparison Between Dissonance-Based and Yoga Interventions

Disordered eating, including bingeing, dieting, purging, and clinical and subclinical forms of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder, is prevalent among college-aged women. To date, few interventions have successfully reduced risk factors related to disordered eating. One promising intervention utilizes principles of cognitive dissonance to reduce thin-ideal internalization among women at risk for eating disorders. Additionally, the benefits of yoga, including increased awareness of bodily processes, offer hope that this practice might reduce disordered eating symptomatology. The current study compared cognitive dissonance and yoga interventions for disordered eating attitudes and behaviors. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that there were no significant differences between the yoga and control groups. However, participants in the dissonance group had significantly lower scores than both other groups on measures of disordered eating symptoms as well as thin-ideal internalization, body dissatisfaction, alexithymia, and anxiety. These findings have important implications for potential interventions on college campuses.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Year dc:date.available

2005

Author dc:creator

• Mitchell, Karen S.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Dr. Suzanne E. Mazzeo

• bingeing
• binging
• alexithymia
• women
• yoga
• eating disorder
• anorexia
• meditation
• internalization
• purging
• cognitive dissonance
• intervention
• bulimia
• body dissatisfaction
• self-esteem
• depression
• anxiety
• diet
• food
• Psychology
• Social and Behavioral Sciences

Statement dc:rights

• © The Author

Identifier

https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/1067

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarscompass.vcu.edu:etd-2066