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Abstract: People with anorexia nervosa (AN) report socioemotional difficulties; however, measurement has been criticised for lacking ecological validity and the state or trait nature of difficulties remains unclear. Participants (n = 122) were recruited across 3 groups: people who are currently ill with AN (n = 40); people who recovered (RecAN, n = 18); healthy‐control participants (n = 64). Participants completed clinical questionnaires and the Social Attribution Task. The Social Attribution Task involves describing an animation of moving shapes, scored for number of propositions offered, accuracy, and social relevance. Groups were compared cross‐sectionally. Those with current AN were assessed prepsychological and postpsychological treatments. People with AN provided fewer propositions than other groups and fewer salient social attributions than healthy‐control participants. Those who recovered scored intermediately and not significantly different from either group. Following treatment, people with AN demonstrated (nonsignificant) improvements, and no significance between group differences were observed. Findings suggest difficulties for people with AN in providing spontaneous social narrative and in identifying social salience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Evidence suggests that poor emotional processing perpetuates anorexia nervosa (AN); however, emotional processing following recovery and interactions between aspects of processing remain unknown. This study examined beliefs about emotions, emotional tolerance and avoidance and emotion suppression to preserve relationships in recovered AN patients. It also explored whether beliefs about emotion are related to emotional avoidance. Design A cross-sectional between-groups design was employed. Method Currently ill ( n = 40), recovered AN patients ( n = 24) and a sample of healthy controls ( n = 48) completed measures of clinical and demographic background in addition to the Beliefs About Emotions, Distress Tolerance and Silencing the Self emotional processing questionnaires. Results Recovered and healthy control groups were comparable (except for higher externalised self-perception in recovered participants) and both had better emotional processing than current AN patients. Beliefs about emotions correlated with level of emotional avoidance. Conclusions This study demonstrates functional levels of emotional processing following recovery from AN. It substantiates models proposing that maladaptive beliefs about emotions link to emotional avoidance and supports inclusion of these factors as treatment foci. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Similarities have been noted between cognitive profiles of anorexia nervosa (AN) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, there are no direct comparison studies. This study aimed to compare the cognitive profile of AN against published ASD data on tasks measuring empathy, executive function and central coherence. Methods Currently ill AN outpatients ( n = 40) were statistically compared against published ASD scores on Reading the Mind in the Eyes, Voice and Films tasks (assessing empathy), Wisconsin Card Sorting Task (WCST) (assessing executive function) and Embedded Figures Task (EFT) (assessing detail focus aspect of central coherence). Results Cognitive profiles of the groups were statistically similar, except for differences in the relative patterns of empathy scores. Conclusions The cognitive profile in current AN resembles that of ASD with important clinical implications. Replication studies with planned comparisons, examination of the state-or trait-nature of AN profile and clarification of factors underpinning similarities are required in order to broaden understanding of both disorders. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. Difficulties in processing emotional states are implicated in the aetiology and maintenance of diverse health conditions, including anorexia nervosa (AN) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). This study sought to explore distress tolerance, self-silencing, and beliefs regarding the experience and expression of emotions in individuals diagnosed with AN and CFS. These conditions were chosen for this study because their clinical presentation is characterized by physical symptoms, yet cognitive behavioural models suggest that emotional processing difficulties contribute to the aetiology and maintenance of both. Design. A between-subjects cross-sectional design was employed. Methods. Forty people with AN, 45 with CFS, and 48 healthy controls (HCs) completed the Distress Tolerance Scale (DTS), Silencing the Self Scale (STSS), Beliefs about Emotions Scale (BES), and measures of clinical symptomatology. Results. Initial group comparisons found that both AN and CFS participants scored higher than HCs on a subscale measuring difficulties in distress tolerance. AN and CFS participants were also more likely to judge themselves by external standards, endorse statements reflecting a tendency to put the needs of others before themselves, and present an outwardly socially compliant image of themselves whilst feeling hostile within. Relative to HCs, AN participants reported more maladaptive beliefs regarding the experience of having negative thoughts and feelings and revealing these emotions to others, with CFS participants showing a non-significant trend in the same direction. After controlling for differences in age, anxiety, and depression the only significant difference to remain was that observed for the STSS care as self-sacrifice subscale. More maladaptive beliefs about the experience and expression of emotions were associated with greater degree of eating disorder symptomatology in the AN group. Conclusions. Differences in emotional processing are present in AN and CFS compared to HCs, with some disorder-specific variation, and may be associated with greater clinical symptomatology. These findings support current explanatory models of both AN and CFS, and suggest that emotional processing should be addressed in the assessment and treatment of individuals with these illnesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. This pilot study examined whether patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) would display an empathizing--systemizing psychometric profile similar to that found in autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and whether people with AN would score highly on a measure of autistic traits. Method. Self-report measures of empathy, systemizing, and autistic traits were administered to 22 female AN patients and 45 female healthy controls (HC). Results. AN patients and HCs did not differ significantly in their self-reported empathy and systemizing. AN patients scored significantly higher than HCs on the autism-spectrum quotient. Conclusions. Replication of these findings is required with larger samples and more sensitive measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]