Researchers at the University of Houston found that female college students with higher psychological flexibility exhibit fewer eating disorder symptoms, suggesting personalized Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) could be key to effective prevention.
Researchers at the University of Houston have uncovered compelling findings that could significantly impact the treatment and prevention of eating disorders among college women. The study, published in the Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, reveals that female college students who display higher levels of psychological flexibility are less likely to develop eating disorders.
Eating disorders affect up to 67% of female college students in the United States, presenting severe risks to both mental and physical health. These disorders range from mild issues like body dissatisfaction to severe conditions such as anorexia nervosa.
Addressing these disorders is crucial, and preventive interventions like Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) offer promising solutions. ACT helps clients accept negative thoughts as a part of life, encouraging them to remain committed to their values and actions despite these thoughts.
However, the effectiveness of ACT varies among individuals, leading the researchers to explore personalized therapy approaches.
“In general, we found that women who were more psychologically flexible and less inflexible had fewer signs of eating disorders,” Michael Zvolensky, the Hugh Roy and Lillie Cranz Cullen Distinguished University Professor of Psychology, said in a news release. “A psychologically flexible person has the ability to be aware of their thoughts, accepting even ones that might seem threatening, and be mindful of the present.”
The study, conducted on over 1,300 adult women from Hawaii, revealed specific profiles based on the Multidimensional Psychological Flexibility Inventory. These profiles indicated that binge eating was most prevalent at 17.89%, followed by muscle building at 16.48%, excessive exercise at 9.73% and purging at 6.16%.
Importantly, the research highlighted the influence of racial backgrounds and sexual orientations on the participants’ profiles and their related eating disorder symptoms.
“The analysis revealed that racial background and sexual orientation statistically significantly influenced profile categorization,” added first author Duckhyun Jo, a postdoctoral student in the Zvolensky lab. “Our study showed that people experience ACT-related processes in different ways, and a personalized approach might be best when using ACT to prevent eating disorders.”
Source: University of Houston