Effects of distress on eating: The importance of ego-involvement.

D. E. Schotte (see record 1992-31145-001) argued that ego threat is not a necessary precondition for the disinhibition of eating in dieters. This article agrees that there are indeed other triggers for disinhibition, as has long been widely acknowledged, but also argues that when distress does act as a trigger for disinhibition, it does so by threatening the dieter's self-image. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of anxiety on eating: Does palatability moderate distress-induced overeating in dieters?

When confronted with an anxiety-producing threat to self-esteem, restrained eaters (dieters) increase their food consumption. The functional explanation suggests that increased eating temporarily counteracts or masks dysphoria for the restrained eater; externality or stimulus sensitivity theories propose that distress shifts the dieter's attention to external stimulus properties (e.g., taste) and to activities stimulated by such external cues. In an attempt to distinguish between these two explanations, anxious and nonanxious restrained and unrestrained eaters were given palatable and unpalatable foods, and consumption was measured. Results support the functional explanations: Distressed dieters increased their intake of food regardless of taste properties. Theoretical and practical implications for both restrained eating and the behavior of eating disorder patients are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Alcohol myopia and condom use: Can alcohol intoxication be associated with more prudent behavior?

We tested 2 competing theories about the effects of alcohol on intentions to engage in risky behavior. Disinhibition predicts that intoxicated people will exhibit risky behavior regardless of environmental cues, whereas alcohol myopia (C. M. Steele & R. A. Josephs, 1990) predicts that intoxicated people will be more or less likely to exhibit risky behavior, depending on the cues provided. In 4 studies, we found an interaction between intoxication and cue type. When impelling cues were present, intoxicated people reported greater intentions to have unprotected sex than did sober people. When subtle inhibiting cues were present, intoxicated and sober people reported equally cautious intentions (Studies 1-3). When strong inhibiting cues were present, intoxicated people reported more prudent intentions than did sober people (Study 4). We suggest that alcohol myopia provides a more comprehensive account of the effects of alcohol than does disinhibition. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

On the special status of "ego threats": Comment on Heatherton, Herman, and Polivy (1991).

Comments on a recent article by T. F. Heatherton et al (1991) in which they suggest that ego threats are a prerequisite to affectively induce disinhibition of food intake in restrained eaters and current dieters. In contrast, the present review suggests that mood induction procedures that involve no apparent ego threat (e.g., viewing a frightening film) can also prompt disinhibition in restrained eaters. Thus, any mood induction procedure that does not directly physically threaten the S may disinhibit restrained eaters. It is concluded that recommendations to focus future research on ego threats are premature and may serve to obscure the mechanisms by which changes in affective state influence intake in dieters. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Dietary disinhibition, perceived stress, and glucose control in young, Type 1 diabetic women.

Examining the relationship of stress, dietary disinhibition, and blood glucose control in diabetic young women was the goal of this study. 65 diabetic girls and women, ranging in age from 12 to 26 yrs, completed eating behaviors and perceived stress scales during regular clinic visits. Blood glucose control was assessed by concurrent glycosylated hemoglobin measurements. Multiple regression analyses indicated that high levels of perceived stress predicted dietary disinhibition and that within the age range studied, young women were more likely than early adolescent girls to perceive their life as stressful. Contrary to previous findings that failed to show that stress can indirectly affect glucose control by interfering with compliance behaviors, the present work indicated a Stress?×?Dietary Disinhibition interaction in predicting glucose control. Blood glucose control was poorest in those diabetic women who both perceived their lives as stressful and reported medium to high disinhibition. Blood glucose control was unrelated to stress in young women who reported low levels of disinhibition. These results have implications for the development of specific interventions for young diabetic women who perceive their lives as stressful and who may respond to stress by eating. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Alcohol-induced disinhibition expectancies and impaired control as prospective predictors of problem drinking in undergraduates.

[Correction Notice: An erratum for this article was reported in Vol 24(3) of Psychology of Addictive Behaviors (see record 2010-19026-008). The table headings in Table 5, p. 561 should have read “Time 2 alcohol related problems” and “Time 2 heavy episodic drinking”.] Trait disinhibition is associated with problem drinking and alcohol drinking can bring about a state of disinhibition. It is unclear however, if expectancies of alcohol-induced disinhibition are unique predictors of problem drinking. Impaired control (i.e., difficulty in limiting alcohol consumption) may be related to disinhibition expectancies in that both involve issues of control related to alcohol use. Data from a prospective survey of undergraduates assessed during freshman (N = 337) and senior year (N = 201) were analyzed to determine whether subscales of the Drinking-Induced Disinhibition Scale (Leeman, Toll, & Volpicelli, 2007) and the Impaired Control Scale (Heather et al., 1993) predicted unique variance in heavy episodic drinking and alcohol-related problems. In Time 1 cross-sectional models, Dysphoric disinhibition expectancies predicted alcohol-related problems and impaired control predicted both alcohol-related problems and heavy episodic drinking. In prospective models, Time 1 impaired control predicted Time 2 alcohol-related problems and Time 1 Euphoric/social Disinhibition expectancies predicted Time 2 heavy episodic drinking. These findings suggest that expectancies of alcohol-induced disinhibition and impaired control predict unique variance in problem drinking cross-sectionally and prospectively, and that these phenomena should be targeted in early intervention efforts. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Correction to Leeman, Toll, Taylor, and Volpicelli (2009).

Reports an error in "Alcohol-induced disinhibition expectancies and impaired control as prospective predictors of problem drinking in undergraduates" by Robert F. Leeman, Benjamin A. Toll, Laura A. Taylor and Joseph R. Volpicelli (Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 2009[Dec], Vol 23[4], 553-563). The table headings in Table 5, p. 561 should have read “Time 2 alcohol related problems” and “Time 2 heavy episodic drinking”. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2009-24023-001.) Trait disinhibition is associated with problem drinking and alcohol drinking can bring about a state of disinhibition. It is unclear however, if expectancies of alcohol-induced disinhibition are unique predictors of problem drinking. Impaired control (i.e., difficulty in limiting alcohol consumption) may be related to disinhibition expectancies in that both involve issues of control related to alcohol use. Data from a prospective survey of undergraduates assessed during freshman (N = 337) and senior year (N = 201) were analyzed to determine whether subscales of the Drinking-Induced Disinhibition Scale (Leeman, Toll, & Volpicelli, 2007) and the Impaired Control Scale (Heather et al., 1993) predicted unique variance in heavy episodic drinking and alcohol-related problems. In Time 1 cross-sectional models, Dysphoric disinhibition expectancies predicted alcohol-related problems and impaired control predicted both alcohol-related problems and heavy episodic drinking. In prospective models, Time 1 impaired control predicted Time 2 alcohol-related problems and Time 1 Euphoric/social Disinhibition expectancies predicted Time 2 heavy episodic drinking. These findings suggest that expectancies of alcohol-induced disinhibition and impaired control predict unique variance in problem drinking cross-sectionally and prospectively, and that these phenomena should be targeted in early intervention efforts. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychological profiles of purging bulimics, repeat dieters, and controls.

In Study 1, 29 female undergraduates who met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III) criteria for bulimia were compared with 2 nonbulimic groups drawn from the same S pool. One group consisted of 27 Ss who reported feeling dissatisfied with their weight and engaged in repeated dieting attempts but not bulimic behavior. The 2nd comparison group consisted of 27 Ss who reported feeling satisfied with their weight and not dieting within the last year. Measures included the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), Personal Attributes Questionnaire, and Tennessee Self-Concept Scale. All Ss scored in the normal range, but bulimics scored significantly higher than the 2 comparison groups on a number of clinical scales. Also, the bulimics and repeat dieters reported lower self-esteem than did the nondieting group. The major discriminating variables—psychopathic deviance, mania, and physical self-esteem—separated all 3 groups and accounted for 78% of the explained variance. Study 2 was conducted with 27 current bulimic women, 12 former bulimics, 29 nondieters, and 31 repeat dieters. Results confirm the importance of physical self-esteem and psychopathic deviance in differentiating between groups. This study also revealed that bulimics engaged in sexual activities and in the adolescent acting-out behaviors of drug and alcohol use more frequently, and at an earlier age, than did the 2 comparison groups. Implications for therapeutic interventions are discussed. (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Dietary restraint: A theoretical and empirical review.

Examines 2 basic hypotheses concerning dietary restraint. One hypothesis focuses on disinhibition or loss of control among dieters, and the other focuses on the relations between obesity and restraint. It is concluded that the disinhibition hypothesis, which proposes that dieters overeat after disruptions in self-control, has been supported. Both perceptions of having overeaten and dysphoric mood precipitate high consumption among restrained eaters. Research is needed to establish the processes underlying these effects. It is also concluded that the obesity and restraint hypothesis, which proposes that differences in level of restraint underlie differences between obese and normal weight people's eating patterns, has not been supported. Although obese people have higher average restraint scores than normal weight people do, they do not show the disinhibited eating patterns that characterize normal weight, restrained eaters. Studies of the restraint scale have indicated that the high scores found among obese people may be due to psychometric problems in the scale. Overall, it is concluded that although the hypotheses concerning restraint and the recent extension of them into a boundary model of food regulation do not seem useful in understanding obesity, they appear to be relevant to understanding binge eating and related disorders such as bulimia. (77 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

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. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sensation seeking–disinhibition and alcohol use: Exploring issues of criterion contamination.

Disinhibition has been theorized to increase risk for alcohol abuse. Because a major index of disinhibition, the Disinhibition subscale of the Sensation Seeking Scales (DIS; M. Zuckerman, 1979, 1987), includes items that explicitly ask about alcohol use (see M. Zuckerman, 1994), the nature and extent of predictor-criterion contamination merits investigation. Using structural equation modeling, this study examined the factor structure and predictive validity of the DIS with drinking in 1,217 college students. A 3-factor model best fit the DIS, and prediction of drinking by these factors varied based on their intrinsic levels of alcohol relatedness. Hence, the relationship between alcohol abuse risk and the DIS may require reconsideration. The factor structure of the DIS also varied between light and heavy drinkers; the clinical and psychometric implications of this finding are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Body dissatisfaction, self-focus, and dieting status among women.

Examined body shape preferences, body dissatisfaction, and self-focus between dieters and nondieters. Ss were 70 women. 35 were classified as chronic dieters, and 35 were classified as nondieters. Dieters were found to be more dissatisfied with their bodies than were nondieters. Although dieters did not have more stringent standards for body shape than nondieters, there was a larger discrepancy between ideal and current shape for dieters owing to their greater body weights. Dieters were also found to be highly and negatively self-focused on the Exner Sentence Completion Task. Dieting status was correlated with public rather than private self-consciousness, suggesting that dieters were concerned with their public image. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Smoking abstinence, eating style, and food intake.

Individual differences in weight gain after smoking cessation may reflect differences in eating restraint that exist before cessation. It was hypothesized that abstinent smokers with high scores on the Eating Inventory Disinhibition Scale would be more likely to overeat than nonabstinent smokers with lower Disinhibition Scale scores. Forty smokers completed the Eating Inventory and the Profile of Mood States (POMS). Subjects were randomly assigned to 24-hr cigarette abstinence or to continued smoking. Subjects then participated in an ice cream tasting task, after which they were free to eat as much ice cream as they wanted. The hypothesis was confirmed. Exploratory analyses indicated that eating behavior items predicted the amount eaten and that weight fluctuation items did not. The POMS Confusion Scale scores were highest for abstinent subjects who scored high on the Disinhibition Scale. A parallel but nonsignificant relation was observed for POMS Tension Scale scores. The meaning of these data for the relation between smoking cessation and weight gain is discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effect of depressed mood on eating among obese and nonobese dieting and nondieting persons.

Induced a depressed or nondepressed mood in obese and nonobese dieters and nondieters (18 male and 38 female undergraduates). Ss were administered a battery of measures, including the Beck Depression Inventory and Depression Adjective Check List. As predicted, dieters ate more when depressed than when nondepressed, and nondieters ate less when depressed than when nondepressed. That is, both groups reversed their typical eating patterns when depressed. Also as predicted, among depressed Ss, dieters ate more than nondieters; among nondepressed Ss dieters ate less that nondieters. This pattern of results was found for both obese and nonobese Ss. Dieting habits were highlighted as a more salient variable than obesity in predicting eating responses to depressed mood. Findings are discussed with respect to the psychosomatic theory of obesity, the stimulus-binding theory of obesity, previous investigations of clinical depression, and the theory of restrained eating. (32 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Less pain and more to gain: Why high-status group members blame their failure on discrimination.

Retracted August 2001. (See record 2001-01642-001.) Members of high-status groups are more likely than members of low-status groups to blame their failure on discrimination and are less likely to blame it on themselves. This tendency was demonstrated in 3 experiments comparing men and women, White and Black students, and members of experimentally created high- and low-status groups. Results also showed that when making an attribution to discrimination, high-status group members were less likely to experience a threat to their social state self-esteem, performance perceived control, and social perceived control and were more likely to protect their performance state self-esteem. These findings help to explain why high-status group members are more willing to blame their failure on discrimination by showing that it is less harmful for them than for low-status group members. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Caregiving from the recipient's perspective: Negative reactions to being helped.

This study investigated predictors of negative reactions to assistance provided to a physically disabled spouse (n?=?276, M age: 76.6 years) and the consequences that negative reactions may have for the mental health of the care recipient. Nearly 40% of recipients reported some emotional distress in response to help they received. Fatalistic attitudes, perceived control, and lower self-esteem predicted greater helping distress, whereas lower self-esteem, fatalistic beliefs, and marital conflict were especially likely to lead to helping distress for those who received higher levels of assistance. Helping distress was also found to predict depression as much as 1 year later, suggesting that there may be long-term consequences of negative reactions to assistance. These findings have important implications for the study of caregiving and the relationship between physical impairment and depression. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Self-esteem and counterfactual thinking.

Two studies examined the relation between self-esteem and counterfactual thinking (consideration of "might-have-been" alternatives to reality). Ss imagined themselves in scenarios with another actor that resulted in either success or failure. Ss then "undid" the outcome by altering events that preceded the outcome. Following success, high self-esteem (HSE) Ss were more likely than low self-esteem (LSE) Ss to mutate their own actions. Following failure, LSE Ss were more likely than HSE Ss to mutate their own actions. Also, the structure of counterfactuals was influenced by outcome valence but not by self-esteem: Subtractive structures (in which antecedents are removed) were elicited by success, whereas additive structures (in which antecedents are added) were elicited by failure. The importance of the self and individual differences in self-esteem to counterfactual thinking is discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Linking “big” personality traits to anxiety, depressive, and substance use disorders: A meta-analysis.

We performed a quantitative review of associations between the higher order personality traits in the Big Three and Big Five models (i.e., neuroticism, extraversion, disinhibition, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and openness) and specific depressive, anxiety, and substance use disorders (SUD) in adults. This approach resulted in 66 meta-analyses. The review included 175 studies published from 1980 to 2007, which yielded 851 effect sizes. For a given analysis, the number of studies ranged from three to 63 (total sample size ranged from 1,076 to 75,229). All diagnostic groups were high on neuroticism (mean Cohen's d = 1.65) and low on conscientiousness (mean d = ?1.01). Many disorders also showed low extraversion, with the largest effect sizes for dysthymic disorder (d = ?1.47) and social phobia (d = ?1.31). Disinhibition was linked to only a few conditions, including SUD (d = 0.72). Finally, agreeableness and openness were largely unrelated to the analyzed diagnoses. Two conditions showed particularly distinct profiles: SUD, which was less related to neuroticism but more elevated on disinhibition and disagreeableness, and specific phobia, which displayed weaker links to all traits. Moderator analyses indicated that epidemiologic samples produced smaller effects than patient samples and that Eysenck's inventories showed weaker associations than NEO scales. In sum, we found that common mental disorders are strongly linked to personality and have similar trait profiles. Neuroticism was the strongest correlate across the board, but several other traits showed substantial effects independent of neuroticism. Greater attention to these constructs can significantly benefit psychopathology research and clinical practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Explaining the relations among children's actual and perceived performances and self-esteem: A comparison of several causal models.

Used structural equation methods to compare various causal models of the relation between children's performances and self-esteem. Analysis was based on cross-sectional data collected from 415 children from 6th–8th grades. Ss' GPA, athletic performance, self-esteem, perceptions of academic ability, perceptions of sociometric status, and lists of peers they liked were analyzed. Models in which self-esteem affected perceptions of popularity fit the data better than models in which the reverse or reciprocal effects were posited. It appears that for ambiguous attributes, such as popularity, a self-consistency bias operates whereby children's self-esteem affects how popular they think they are. For more verifiable attributes (i.e., academic and athletic achievement), perceptions of achievement are more strongly related to actual achievement, and they are more likely to affect self-esteem rather than the reverse. (45 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Welfare and psychological distress: a longitudinal study of African American urban mothers

This paper examines the psychological impact of receiving welfare. The prospective longitudinal data are from a cohort of African American mothers (N = 833). Four explanations structured the analyses: social selection; chronic burdens; a failure hypothesis; and earlier life conditions of welfare recipients. Psychological distress was assessed by women's reports of depressed and anxious moods. Women were categorized into one of four welfare conditions by receipt of welfare when their children were first-graders and 10 years later. Concurrent and longitudinal relationships existed between the women's welfare status and reports of psychological distress. Welfare recipients had more chronic burdens--including perceived ill health--which helped to explain these relationships. Measures of failure did not "explain' the greater psychological distress. Women who grew up receiving welfare were more likely to report psychological distress and lower self-esteem later in life. The women's education influenced welfare and physical and psychological well-being.