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Background The ED literature has focused on the physical forms of childhood abuse with respect to eating disorders, overlooking non-physical abuse even though eating disorder patients report the latter either as primary experiences or as a revival of their childhood experiences. Additionally, there is no literature exploring whether adult eating disorder patients who have experienced childhood non-physical abuse continue to experience abuse as adults, and if they do, how well-being is impacted or linked with eating pathology. Objective This study explored the lived experiences of eating disorders patients who have experienced non-physical childhood abuse in childhood and adulthood. Participants and settings Six adult female eating disorder outpatients each took part in a semi-structured interview. Methods This study used the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis framework. Results Three master themes and eleven superordinate themes were drawn from the analysis, addressing the research question: continuation of non-physical abuse across a lifetime, developmental factors and non-physical abuse, and non-physical abuse and eating pathology. Conclusions The participants' accounts indicate that childhood non-physical abuse is related to eating disorder onset, and abuse continuation in adulthood contributes to the disorder's maintenance. Moreover, the lifelong consequences of non-physical childhood abuse impact psychological factors, such as self-esteem, attachment and emotion regulation, affecting the individuals' adult lives and keeping participants inside a vicious cycle of trauma re-enactment. Low self-esteem is considered by the participants as the key factor for their disturbed relationship with food.

Background The ED literature has focused on the physical forms of childhood abuse with respect to eating disorders, overlooking non-physical abuse even though eating disorder patients report the latter either as primary experiences or as a revival of their childhood experiences. Additionally, there is no literature exploring whether adult eating disorder patients who have experienced childhood non-physical abuse continue to experience abuse as adults, and if they do, how well-being is impacted or linked with eating pathology. Objective This study explored the lived experiences of eating disorders patients who have experienced non-physical childhood abuse in childhood and adulthood. Participants and settings Six adult female eating disorder outpatients each took part in a semi-structured interview. Methods This study used the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis framework. Results Three master themes and eleven superordinate themes were drawn from the analysis, addressing the research question: continuation of non-physical abuse across a lifetime, developmental factors and non-physical abuse, and non-physical abuse and eating pathology. Conclusions The participants' accounts indicate that childhood non-physical abuse is related to eating disorder onset, and abuse continuation in adulthood contributes to the disorder's maintenance. Moreover, the lifelong consequences of non-physical childhood abuse impact psychological factors, such as self-esteem, attachment and emotion regulation, affecting the individuals' adult lives and keeping participants inside a vicious cycle of trauma re-enactment. Low self-esteem is considered by the participants as the key factor for their disturbed relationship with food.

This study examines the extent to which mean digit length (MDL), second-to-fourth digit ratio (2D:4D), digit asymmetry (DA) and fluctuating asymmetry (FA) correlate with belief in three types of alleged paranormal phenomena (extrasensory perception, psychokinesis, and life after death). An opportunistic sample of 275 undergraduate students completed standard paranormal belief and demographics questionnaires with the absolute length of their 2D and 4D on both hands measured by participants themselves (direct self-based measures) as well as by two independent from hand photocopies (indirect rater-based measures). As hypothesised, females presented a lower MDL (both measurement sources) but higher indirect rater-based 2D:4D ratio than males. Additionally, females’ left hand 2D:4D correlated positively with their belief in psychokinesis with their right hand 2D:4D correlating with belief in both extrasensory perception and psychokinesis. Females' direct self-based FA was also associated with stronger PK beliefs. These trends did not exist for male participants. Finally, no significant relationships were found between either MDL or DA and any belief type regardless of measurement source, hand or participant sex. Results are discussed in relation to previous work by Voracek (2009) and their support for genetic bio-markers of adult paranormality. Methodological limitations are also considered.

This study examines the extent to which mean digit length (MDL), second-to-fourth digit ratio (2D:4D), digit asymmetry (DA) and fluctuating asymmetry (FA) correlate with belief in three types of alleged paranormal phenomena (extrasensory perception, psychokinesis, and life after death). An opportunistic sample of 275 undergraduate students completed standard paranormal belief and demographics questionnaires with the absolute length of their 2D and 4D on both hands measured by participants themselves (direct self-based measures) as well as by two independent from hand photocopies (indirect rater-based measures). As hypothesised, females presented a lower MDL (both measurement sources) but higher indirect rater-based 2D:4D ratio than males. Additionally, females’ left hand 2D:4D correlated positively with their belief in psychokinesis with their right hand 2D:4D correlating with belief in both extrasensory perception and psychokinesis. Females' direct self-based FA was also associated with stronger PK beliefs. These trends did not exist for male participants. Finally, no significant relationships were found between either MDL or DA and any belief type regardless of measurement source, hand or participant sex. Results are discussed in relation to previous work by Voracek (2009) and their support for genetic bio-markers of adult paranormality. Methodological limitations are also considered.

This study examines the extent to which mean digit length (MDL), second-to-fourth digit ratio (2D:4D), digit asymmetry (DA) and fluctuating asymmetry (FA) correlate with belief in three types of alleged paranormal phenomena (extrasensory perception, psychokinesis, and life after death). An opportunistic sample of 275 undergraduate students completed standard paranormal belief and demographics questionnaires with the absolute length of their 2D and 4D on both hands measured by participants themselves (direct self-based measures) as well as by two independent from hand photocopies (indirect rater-based measures). As hypothesised, females presented a lower MDL (both measurement sources) but higher indirect rater-based 2D:4D ratio than males. Additionally, females’ left hand 2D:4D correlated positively with their belief in psychokinesis with their right hand 2D:4D correlating with belief in both extrasensory perception and psychokinesis. Females' direct self-based FA was also associated with stronger PK beliefs. These trends did not exist for male participants. Finally, no significant relationships were found between either MDL or DA and any belief type regardless of measurement source, hand or participant sex. Results are discussed in relation to previous work by Voracek (2009) and their support for genetic bio-markers of adult paranormality. Methodological limitations are also considered.

This study examines the extent to which mean digit length (MDL), second-to-fourth digit ratio (2D:4D), digit asymmetry (DA) and fluctuating asymmetry (FA) correlate with belief in three types of alleged paranormal phenomena (extrasensory perception, psychokinesis, and life after death). An opportunistic sample of 275 undergraduate students completed standard paranormal belief and demographics questionnaires with the absolute length of their 2D and 4D on both hands measured by participants themselves (direct self-based measures) as well as by two independent from hand photocopies (indirect rater-based measures). As hypothesised, females presented a lower MDL (both measurement sources) but higher indirect rater-based 2D:4D ratio than males. Additionally, females’ left hand 2D:4D correlated positively with their belief in psychokinesis with their right hand 2D:4D correlating with belief in both extrasensory perception and psychokinesis. Females' direct self-based FA was also associated with stronger PK beliefs. These trends did not exist for male participants. Finally, no significant relationships were found between either MDL or DA and any belief type regardless of measurement source, hand or participant sex. Results are discussed in relation to previous work by Voracek (2009) and their support for genetic bio-markers of adult paranormality. Methodological limitations are also considered.

This study examines the extent to which mean digit length (MDL), second-to-fourth digit ratio (2D:4D), digit asymmetry (DA) and fluctuating asymmetry (FA) correlate with belief in three types of alleged paranormal phenomena (extrasensory perception, psychokinesis, and life after death). An opportunistic sample of 275 undergraduate students completed standard paranormal belief and demographics questionnaires with the absolute length of their 2D and 4D on both hands measured by participants themselves (direct self-based measures) as well as by two independent from hand photocopies (indirect rater-based measures). As hypothesised, females presented a lower MDL (both measurement sources) but higher indirect rater-based 2D:4D ratio than males. Additionally, females’ left hand 2D:4D correlated positively with their belief in psychokinesis with their right hand 2D:4D correlating with belief in both extrasensory perception and psychokinesis. Females' direct self-based FA was also associated with stronger PK beliefs. These trends did not exist for male participants. Finally, no significant relationships were found between either MDL or DA and any belief type regardless of measurement source, hand or participant sex. Results are discussed in relation to previous work by Voracek (2009) and their support for genetic bio-markers of adult paranormality. Methodological limitations are also considered.

This study examines the extent to which mean digit length (MDL), second-to-fourth digit ratio (2D:4D), digit asymmetry (DA) and fluctuating asymmetry (FA) correlate with belief in three types of alleged paranormal phenomena (extrasensory perception, psychokinesis, and life after death). An opportunistic sample of 275 undergraduate students completed standard paranormal belief and demographics questionnaires with the absolute length of their 2D and 4D on both hands measured by participants themselves (direct self-based measures) as well as by two independent from hand photocopies (indirect rater-based measures). As hypothesised, females presented a lower MDL (both measurement sources) but higher indirect rater-based 2D:4D ratio than males. Additionally, females’ left hand 2D:4D correlated positively with their belief in psychokinesis with their right hand 2D:4D correlating with belief in both extrasensory perception and psychokinesis. Females' direct self-based FA was also associated with stronger PK beliefs. These trends did not exist for male participants. Finally, no significant relationships were found between either MDL or DA and any belief type regardless of measurement source, hand or participant sex. Results are discussed in relation to previous work by Voracek (2009) and their support for genetic bio-markers of adult paranormality. Methodological limitations are also considered.