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Biomedical subjects

J H Crowther

Publications and source records attributed to J H Crowther.

17 recordsLinked to original sources

The role of daily hassles in binge eating.

OBJECTIVE: The present study investigated the relationship between daily hassles and the frequency and caloric intake of eating episodes among normal-weight women who engage in binging (n = 17) and those who do not (n = 17). METHOD: For 2 weeks, participants self-monitored their food intake during the day and completed The Hassles Scale each evening before retiring. RESULTS: Results indicated that women who engage in binge eating rated daily hassles as significantly more stressful than women who do not binge. Also, women who engage in binge eating consumed significantly more calories on those days characterized by higher as opposed to lower levels of stress. DISCUSSION: Theoretical and clinical implications of these findings are discussed.

Adolescent↗

Validity of questionnaires for assessing dysfunctional cognitions in bulimia nervosa.

OBJECTIVE: This research investigated the validity of the Bulimic Cognitive Distortions Scale and the Mizes Anorectic Cognitions Questionnaire. The ability of these questionnaires to discriminate among individuals with bulimia, restrained eaters, and normals was also investigated. METHOD: Scores on these retrospective self-report questionnaires were compared to cognitions assessed via in vivo thought-sampling. Cognitions of 15 women with bulimia nervosa, 15 restrained eaters, and 15 non-eating disordered women were assessed. RESULTS: Results indicated that both the BCDS and the MAC successfully discriminated among individuals with bulimia, restrained eaters, and normals, and adequately measured in vivo attitudes and beliefs associated with food and eating, weight and body-image, and low self-efficacy. DISCUSSION: These findings support the continued use of both the BCDS and the MAC.

Adolescent↗

The reliability of the Eating Disorder Examination-Self-Report Questionnaire Version (EDE-Q).

OBJECTIVE: This research investigated the internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the Eating Disorder Examination-Self-Report Questionnaire Version (EDE-Q), a 41-item measure adapted from the Eating Disorder Examination (EDE). The EDE is a structured clinical interview assessing the key behavioral features and associated psychopathology of eating disorders. RESULTS: Results indicated excellent internal consistency and 2-week test-retest reliability for the four subscales of the EDE-Q: Restraint, Weight Concern, Shape Concern, and Eating Concern. There was somewhat less stability in the items measuring the occurrence and frequency of the key behavioral features of eating disorders. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, results support the psychometric adequacy of the EDE-Q.

Adolescent↗

Variability in self-esteem, moods, shame, and guilt in women who binge.

Variability in self-esteem, moods, shame, and guilt was explored in a sample of 78 women (37 who binge and 41 who do not binge) attending a large university. Results indicated that women who binge reported significantly greater fluctuations than women who do not binge in state self-esteem, negative affect, shame, and guilt. In addition, contrary to the hypotheses, self-esteem and positive affect increased prior to all eating episodes for women, including binge episodes for women who binge. Women who binge also reported lower levels of state self-esteem and positive affect, and higher levels of shame and guilt prior to binges than controls prior to their eating episodes. Theoretical implications of the differential role of shame and guilt are considered. In addition, results are discussed in terms of support for a self-nurturance explanation of binge eating in nonclinical samples of women.

Adolescent↗

Selected MMPI-2 scales' ability to predict premature termination and outcome from psychotherapy.

Research examining the MMPI's ability to predict premature termination has yielded discrepant findings. This may be due, in part, to previous operational definitions of premature termination and extensive analysis on inadequately sized samples. This study addressed both methodological issues. This study examined MMPI-2 clinical Scales 2, 4, and 7 and content scales DEP, ASP, ANX, and TRT as predictors of premature termination and psychotherapeutic outcome in 86 adult clients seeking services at a university-based clinic. Premature termination was operationalized as therapists' ratings of clients' readiness for termination. Psychotherapeutic outcome was operationalized as therapists' ratings of the clients' progress in therapy goals, improvement in global psychopathology, improvement in current functioning, and global improvement. None of MMPI-2 scales predicted readiness for termination. However, significant associations were found between specific MMPI-2 scales and three of the four outcome ratings, with the content scales emerging as better predictors. The implications of these findings are discussed to help guide future research in this area.

Adolescent↗

Weight, self-esteem, ethnicity, and depressive symptomatology during pregnancy among inner-city women.

The relationship of weight and self-esteem to depressive symptomatology was examined among 36 African American and 96 European American pregnant inner-city women. Lower self-esteem and higher deviations from medically ideal weight predicted increased dysphoria during the 3rd trimester for European American women, but only lower self-esteem predicted increased dysphoria for African American women. These results support the hypothesis that African Americans are less likely than European Americans to experience negative psychological repercussions of greater weight. Consistent with findings among nonpregnant middle-class samples, these results extend the association between heavier weight and increased risk for psychological distress to pregnant women of European American descent.

Adolescent↗

Emotional and somatic consequences of binge episodes.

The present study investigated emotional and somatic consequences of the daily eating episodes of 19 bulimics, 15 bingers, and 20 normal control subjects. For 1 week, subjects rated 21 emotional and somatic states immediately following all eating episodes and 1 h later. Results indicated that bulimics and bingers reported significantly greater negative and somatic consequences immediately following their binge episodes than normal eaters following all of their eating episodes. For both groups, these negative emotional consequences persisted over time. Following nonbinge episodes, only bulimics reported experiencing significantly greater negative emotions than normal controls. Comparisons of the binge and nonbinge episodes of the bulimics and bingers indicated that binge episodes are followed by greater immediate and delayed negative and somatic consequences than nonbinge episodes. Furthermore, the positive emotions that occur immediately after a binge significantly decrease in intensity within 90 min after the episode. Theoretical and clinical implications of these findings are discussed.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Effects of daily activities and social behavior on blood-pressure elevation.

This study examined the effects of daily activities and social behavior on the blood-pressure elevation in 21 normotensives, 20 borderline hypertensives, and 20 sustained essential hypertensives. Blood pressures were recorded over a 24-hr period using an ambulatory monitor while subjects recorded their daily activities and social involvement at each cuff inflation. Results indicated that only a moderate proportion of the blood pressure readings of the two clinical groups exceeded 140/90 mm Hg. Results also suggested that the blood pressures of normotensives were more responsive to changes in physical activity, while the blood pressures of sustained hypertensives were more responsive to social involvement. When group differences emerged on mean blood-pressure elevation, analyses indicated that the two hypertensive groups frequently differed from the normotensive group but rarely from each other. The results suggest that differences in blood-pressure elevation cannot be fully understood without considering behavior and support its continued inclusion in the study of blood pressure.

Activities of Daily Living↗

Emotional reactivity and eating in binge eating and obesity.

The present study investigated daily mood fluctuations and moods during eating in normal and overweight binge and nonbinge eaters (N = 56) and moods during binge and nonbinge episodes of individuals who binge eat (N = 29). For 2 weeks, subjects completed the Multiple Affect Adjective Checklist each morning and continuously recorded the mood during eating and the type and quantity of food eaten during each eating episode. The results indicated that bingers experience greater fluctuations of anxiety and depression than nonbingers and overweight individuals experience greater fluctuations in anxiety, hostility, and depression than normal-weight individuals. In addition, for bingers, negative mood states are experienced during a significantly greater proportion of binge episodes than nonbinge episodes, although the intensity of the negative mood state was not related to the severity of the binge-eating episode. Theoretical and clinical implications of these findings are discussed.

Adult↗

Behavioral predictors of blood pressure variation in hypertensives and normotensives.

This study examined the relative impact of five behavioral factors--activity, posture, location, social involvement, and tension--on the 24-hr blood pressure (BP) variability of 21 normotensives, 18 borderline hypertensives, and 18 sustained essential hypertensives. Multiple-regression analyses indicated that within each diagnostic group, activity accounted for more variance in BP variability than any other behavioral dimension. For each behavioral dimension examined, the magnitude of the relationship with BP was generally greater for the normotensives than for both hypertensive groups. In contrast, variation due to individuals was a better predictor of BP variability for the two hypertensive groups than for the normotensive group. Number of months hypertensive and use of antihypertensive medication were related to BP variability for the sustained hypertensive group. Findings have implications for the use of ambulatory BP monitors and interpretation of resulting data.

Activities of Daily Living↗

Bulimia and binge eating in adolescent females: a comparison.

The present study compared the following four groups on characteristics commonly associated with eating disorders: bulimics (n = 17) who met the DSM-III criteria for bulimia; severe bingers (n = 16) who binged frequently and experienced negative emotions associated with the binging but did not meet the DSM-III criteria for bulimia; mild bingers (n = 16), who only reported engaging in binge eating; and normals (n = 17), who neither binged, fasted, or purged. A one-way MANOVA comparing the four groups was significant. Post-hoc univariate ANOVAs indicated the bulimics and severe bingers experienced significantly more maladaptive eating attitudes, greater stress, greater depression, and greater discrepancies between their current and ideal weight than mild bingers and normals. Bulimics experienced significantly lower self-esteem than the mild bingers and normals and all three eating disordered groups reported significantly more frequent alcohol use than the normals. Theoretical and diagnostic implications of these findings are discussed.

Adolescent↗

The relationship between depression and marital maladjustment. A descriptive study.

Measures of depression and marital adjustment were completed by patients hospitalized on an inpatient psychiatric unit and their spouses. Therapists also provided ratings of the patients' depression and couples' marital adjustment. Results indicated a significant negative correlation between patient self-reports of depression and marital adjustment, which was supported by the correlation between therapist ratings. These results demonstrate generalization of the previously established depression-marital maladjustment relationship from outpatients to inpatients. Analyses of sex differences indicated that, although there were no differences between depressed men and women in the severity of the depression, depressed men rated their marriages as significantly better adjusted than depressed women. Clinical implications of these findings with respect to depression and marital maladjustment are discussed.

Adult↗

The topography of binge eating.

The present study investigated the topography of binge eating by comparing characteristics of eating episodes recorded by individuals who engage in binge eating (n = 29) with those who do not (n = 27), and characteristics of binge and non-binge episodes recorded by individuals who binge eat. For 2 weeks, subjects continuously recorded the type and quantity of food eaten during each eating episode, time and place of consumption, number of persons present, mood while eating, and whether the food eaten was part of a meal or snack. Results indicated binge eaters experienced negative moods during a significantly greater proportion of their eating episodes than non-binge eaters. Within the group of binge eaters, negative moods were experienced during a significantly greater proportion of binge episodes than non-binge episodes. Furthermore, binge episodes occurred significantly more often than non-binge episodes from 6:00 to 12:00 p.m. and significantly less often at appropriate places. Clinical implications of these findings are discussed.

Emotions↗

Stress management training and relaxation imagery in the treatment of essential hypertension.

The present study compared the effectiveness of three procedures in the treatment of 34 individuals with essential hypertension: (1) stress management training plus relaxation imagery, which consisted of an adaptation of existing stress management techniques in conjunction with extensive relaxation training using relaxation imagery; (2) relaxation imagery alone; and (3) weekly blood pressure checks. The relaxation imagery technique involved visualization of a relaxing image along with concentration on suggestions of relaxation, heaviness, and warmth. Treatment was individualized and lasted 8 weeks. Results indicated stress management plus relaxation imagery and relaxation imagery alone were significantly more effective than blood pressure checks in reducing systolic and diastolic blood pressures during treatment and in maintaining diastolic blood pressure reductions during follow-up. However, no significant differences were found between the two treatment procedures. Clinical implications of these findings are discussed.

Adolescent↗

Personality and eating habit variables as predictors of severity of binge eating and weight.

The present study investigated several personality and eating habit variables as predictors of the severity of binge eating and weight deviation. Subjects were 120 normal weight and overweight undergraduate women selected to vary along predetermined dimensions of weight and severity of binge eating. After providing relevant demographic and life history data, they completed a series of self-report questionnaires. Results of a canonical analysis support the independence of binge eating and weight. Two stepwise multiple regressions indicated that anorexic-like eating attitudes, dissatisfaction with body image, and poor self-image were significant predictors of the severity of binge eating while none of the measures was a significant predictor of weight deviation. The amount of stress experienced in the past year was found to be the only significant demographic/historical predictor of binge eating. These findings are discussed with respect to their implications for current understanding of the binge eating phenomenon.

Adolescent↗

The incidence, prevalence, and severity of behavior disorders among preschool-aged children in day care.

This study examined the incidence, prevalence, and severity of 14 empirically derived externalizing (unsocialized aggressive) and internalizing (socially withdrawn) behaviors among 2- through 5-year-olds attending day care. Teacher ratings were obtained for 558 children in the incidence sample and 709 children in the expanded prevalence sample. Within each age, data were cross-tabulated by sex of child and severity of behavior, and chi-square analyses were computed. Results indicated that a substantial proportion of children in the normal pre-school population exhibit relatively high severities of selected externalizing and internalizing behaviors; this proportion varied with the age of the child and the behavior rated. Preschool-aged boys were consistently rated as demonstrating greater frequencies of externalizing behaviors than preschool-girls. The diagnostic and clinical implications of these findings are discussed.

Age Factors↗