Self-disgust mediates the relationship between childhood adversities and psychosis

Is self-disgust an implicit or explicit emotional schema?

Self-disgust, a negative self-conscious emotional schema that is associated with mental health difficulties in both clinical and non-clinical populations, is typically assessed with self-reported measures that target physical and behavioural aspects of the self. The aim of the present research was to develop and validate a novel implicit self-disgust measure (ISDM) using an Implicit Association Task (IAT) paradigm, across three studies. Study 1 developed a list of disgust-related and positive words that were rated for emotional valence and arousal and informed the content of the ISDM. Study 2 developed and examined the ISDM using the single-target IAT in a non-clinical population and showed that scores in the ISDM were significantly associated with self-reported self-disgust. Study 3 partly replicated the findings of Study 2 among participants with trauma-related experiences and following a mood induction paradigm, showing a significant association between the ISDM and the physical aspect of self-reported self-disgust. These findings are significant because they have implications about the automaticity of self-disgust in people with traumatic experiences which can further inform clinical practice and interventions targeting self-disgust.

Self-disgust and disgust sensitivity are increased in anorexia nervosa inpatients, but only self-disgust mediates between comorbid and core psychopathology

OBJECTIVE

The possible role of abnormal disgust processing in the development and course of anorexia nervosa (AN) has been emphasized in theoretical models and research. However, disgust toward external stimuli and self-disgust have not yet been investigated together in a clinical sample of AN patients. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to measure these constructs and examine their role in shaping eating pathology in AN patients and healthy controls (HCs), considering comorbid depressive and anxiety psychopathology. The study also aimed at testing the possible mediational roles of both disgust types in the associations between comorbid psychopathology and eating disorders (EDs) characteristics.

METHOD

Altogether, 63 inpatients with AN and 57 HCs partook in the study. Participants completed the Eating Disorder Inventory-3, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory-II, Disgust Scale-Revised and Self-Disgust Scale.

RESULTS

AN patients manifested higher self-disgust and disgust sensitivity than HCs. In addition, self-disgust predicted the severity of EDs characteristics and mediated the links of depressive symptoms and trait anxiety with EDs characteristics in both groups.

DISCUSSION

Our findings imply the putative role of self-disgust in the development of EDs psychopathology in HCs and in its maintenance in AN patients.