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Thought‐shape fusion in eating disorders
Author(s) -
Shafran Roz,
Robinson Paul
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
british journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.479
H-Index - 92
eISSN - 2044-8260
pISSN - 0144-6657
DOI - 10.1348/0144665042389008
Subject(s) - psychopathology , eating disorders , psychology , depression (economics) , cognition , clinical psychology , psychiatry , economics , macroeconomics
Objectives: The aims of the present study were (1) to examine the association between a cognitive distortion (‘thought‐shape fusion’) and eating disorder psychopathology and (2) to examine the degree of thought‐shape fusion in people with eating disorders and a non‐eating‐disorder control group. Design: Associations between thought‐shape fusion and eating disorder psychopathology were examined and the degree of thought‐shape fusion was compared between people with and without clinical eating disorders. Method: Forty‐two women with clinical eating disorders and a group of 42 age‐matched women with no self‐reported history of an eating disorder completed self‐report questionnaires to assess thought‐shape fusion, eating disorder symptoms, body checking and body avoidance, and depression. Results: Thought‐shape fusion was significantly associated with eating disorder psychopathology. The majority of the associations remained significant when controlling for levels of depression. Patients with eating disorders showed significantly more thought‐shape fusion than the non‐clinical controls. Conclusions: Thought‐shape fusion is a cognitive distortion associated with eating disorders. It may be a direct expression of the overevaluation of eating, shape and weight. It is recommended that thought‐shape fusion be tackled directly in cases where it is a barrier to changing the core psychopathology of eating disorders.