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Hart LM, Mitchison D, Fuller-Tyszkiewicz M, Giles S, Fardouly J, Jarman HK, Damiano SR, McLean SA, Prichard I, Yager Z, Krug I. "Can you see me?" Videoconferencing and eating disorder risk during COVID-19: Anxiety, impairment, and mediators. Int J Eat Disord 2023; 56:235-246. [PMID: 36331070 PMCID: PMC10100378 DOI: 10.1002/eat.23844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The use of videoconferencing has increased during the pandemic, creating prolonged exposure to self-image. This research aimed to investigate whether eating disorder (ED) risk was associated with videoconferencing performance for work or study and to explore whether the use of safety behaviors and self-focused attention mediated the relationship between ED risk and perceived control over performance anxiety, impaired engagement, or avoidance of videoconferencing for work or study. METHOD In 2020, an online survey was distributed within Australia to those aged over 18 years via academic and social networks, measuring: use of videoconferencing for work/study, demographics, ED risk, safety behaviors for appearance concerns, self-focused attention, perceived control over performance anxiety, perceived engagement impairment, and avoidance of videoconferencing. A total of 640 participants (77.3% female, Mage = 26.2 years) returned complete data and were included in analyses. RESULTS 245 participants (38.7%) were considered at-risk for EDs (SCOFF > 2). Those at-risk reported significantly more safety behaviors, self-focused attention, impaired engagement, and avoidance, plus lower perceived control over performance anxiety than those not at-risk. Multiple mediation models found the effects of ED risk on control over performance anxiety, impaired engagement, and avoidance were partially mediated by safety behaviors and self-focused attention. DISCUSSION Our cross-sectional findings suggest videoconferencing for work/study-related purposes is associated with performance anxiety, impaired engagement, and avoidance among individuals at-risk for EDs. Poorer videoconferencing outcomes appear more strongly related to social anxiety variables than ED status. Clinicians and educators may need to provide extra support for those using videoconferencing. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE Because videoconferencing often involves seeing your own image (via self-view) we wondered whether the appearance concerns experienced by those with eating disorders (EDs) might interfere with the ability to focus on or to contribute to work/study videoconferencing meetings. We found that although those with EDs experience more impairments in their videoconferencing engagement/contribution, these were linked just as strongly to social anxiety as they were to appearance concerns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura M Hart
- Centre for Mental Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Carlton, Victoria, Australia.,EMBodiED Research, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia.,The Body Confident Collective, Coffs Habour, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Deborah Mitchison
- Translational Health Research Institute, School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | | | - Sarah Giles
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Hannah K Jarman
- School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | - Stephanie R Damiano
- EMBodiED Research, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - Siân A McLean
- EMBodiED Research, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ivanka Prichard
- The Body Confident Collective, Coffs Habour, New South Wales, Australia.,College of Nursing & Health Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Zali Yager
- The Body Confident Collective, Coffs Habour, New South Wales, Australia.,Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Footscray, Victoria, Australia
| | - Isabel Krug
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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Karvay YG, Guarecuco JS, Feuerstahler L, Burke NL. Development and validation of the food availability and related eating behaviors questionnaire: A stage 1 registered report. Int J Eat Disord 2022; 55:1404-1410. [PMID: 36184904 DOI: 10.1002/eat.23797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Historically, eating disorder research has excluded marginalized and underserved populations, such as those with food insecurity (which also impacts higher numbers of Black/African American and Latinx communities). However, burgeoning research suggests an association between food insecurity and the development of eating disorder pathology. Examining patterns of food availability and related eating behaviors may elucidate the association between food insecurity and eating disorder pathology. However, to date, there are no comprehensive measures that accurately capture food availability patterns and related eating behaviors. METHOD In Study 1, 40 participants (20 adolescents, 20 adults) will respond to and provide qualitative feedback on the Food Availability and Related Eating Behaviors Questionnaire (FAREB-Q). In study 2, 50 participants (approximately 25 with and without food insecurity) will complete the FAREB-Q at two time-points, and respond to questions about food insecurity, disordered eating, and every day stress to assess the FAREB-Q's reliability and validity. RESULTS Results will clarify whether the FAREB-Q is a reliable and valid instrument that measures food availability and related eating behavior patterns. DISCUSSION The present study aims to develop, pilot, and examine the psychometric properties of the FAREB-Q, a self-report measure examining food availability and related eating behaviors in community populations. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE The novel FAREB-Q assesses food availability and related eating patterns in the general community. The FAREB-Q will be reviewed by experts in disordered eating, food insecurity, psychometric statisticians and piloted in the general public before being psychometrically evaluated in a larger sample. The FAREB-Q is anticipated to help elucidate the mechanisms linking food availability, food (in)security, disordered eating behaviors, and eating pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yvette G Karvay
- Department of Psychology, Fordham University, New York, New York, USA
| | | | - Leah Feuerstahler
- Department of Psychology, Fordham University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Natasha L Burke
- Department of Psychology, Fordham University, New York, New York, USA
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