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Are all models susceptible to dysfunctional cognitions about eating and body image? The moderating role of personality styles

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Eating and Weight Disorders - Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective

We investigated dysfunctional cognitions about eating and body image in relation to personality styles in a group of professional models.

Method

Dysfunctional cognitions in professional models (n = 43) and a control group (n = 43) were assessed with the ‘Eating Disorder Cognition Questionnaire’ (EDCQ), eating attitudes with the ‘Eating Attitudes Test’ (EAT), and personality with the ‘Personality Styles and Disorders Inventory’ (PSDI-S).

Results

Models had higher scores than controls on the EDCQ and EAT and on nine scales of the PSDI-S. Moderation analyses showed significant interactions between groups and personality styles in predicting EDCQ scales: The ambitious/narcissistic style was related to “negative body and self-esteem”, the conscientious/compulsive style to “dietary restraint”, and the spontaneous/borderline style to “loss of control in eating”.

Conclusions

The results indicate that not all models are susceptible to dysfunctional cognitions about eating and body image. Models are at a higher risk of developing negative automatic thoughts and dysfunctional assumptions relating to body size, shape and weight, especially if they have high scores on the above personality styles.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Wrocław Department, Warsaw School of Social Psychology, Warsaw School of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ostrowskiego Street 30b, 53-238, Wroclaw, Poland

    Sybilla Blasczyk-Schiep, Kaja Sokoła & Karolina Fila-Witecka

  2. University of Osnabrück, Osnabrück, Germany

    Miguel Kazén

Authors
  1. Sybilla Blasczyk-Schiep
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  2. Kaja Sokoła
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  3. Karolina Fila-Witecka
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  4. Miguel Kazén
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Correspondence to Sybilla Blasczyk-Schiep.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from each participant before taking part in the study.

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Blasczyk-Schiep, S., Sokoła, K., Fila-Witecka, K. et al. Are all models susceptible to dysfunctional cognitions about eating and body image? The moderating role of personality styles. Eat Weight Disord 21, 211–220 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-015-0228-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-015-0228-6

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