Compulsivity in Anorexia: A Questionnaire Study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Compulsivity in Anorexia Nervosa: Validation of the Starvation Dependence and Compulsive Exercise Questionnaires in a Clinical Sample
IRAS ID
129495
Contact name
Lauren Godier
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Oxford
Research summary
Anorexia Nervosa (AN) is the more severe form of eating disorder (ED) characterised by compulsive behaviours such as self starvation and compulsive exercise. These behaviours are persistent despite their negative physical and psychological consequences. The compulsive nature of these behaviours may be underpinned by dysregulated habit formation and aberrant reward processing found in AN.
There are few standardised measures of compulsivity in EDs such as AN. Therefore, this study will aim to validate new measures of Starvation Dependence and Compulsive Exercise in a sample of individuals currently suffering from anorexia nervosa.
The new measures have been created by adapting the questions of the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) for these constructs. The YFAS uses an adaptation of the criteria of substance dependence from the DSM-IV-TR to measure addiction to food. Using this criteria for starvation dependence and compulsive exercise may allow useful measurement of these behaviours in relation to those at risk of and currently suffering from EDs such as AN.
This research is funded by a studentship awarded to the CI by the Medical Research Council.
REC name
South Central - Berkshire B Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/SC/0370
Date of REC Opinion
30 Jul 2013
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion