Memory Exposure Intervention Targeting Disgust Memories about the Own Body

Wetwitschka, Urte (2022) Memory Exposure Intervention Targeting Disgust Memories about the Own Body. Master thesis, Psychology.

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Abstract

Having a negative body image is known to be one of the core features of eating disorders. Therefore, this would be a concept that could be targeted in an exposure intervention. Concepts associated with negative body image concerns are self-disgust towards the own body, avoidance, and acceptance. These concepts were targeted in an exposure intervention study with autobiographical memories. Participants were 53 females that were contacted via two participant pools of the University of Groningen. They all reported high levels of self-disgust towards their own body. The present study consisted of two parts and during the first part participants were asked to take part in a memory exposure intervention study focusing on autobiographical memories. As little is known about how participants react to research that evokes potentially strong negative emotions participants rated their reaction to participation during the second part of the study. Overall, no significant results were found when looking at changes of self-disgust, avoidance, and acceptance ratings when exposing participants to their autobiographical disgust memories. Furthermore, the three concepts were not significantly correlated to each other. The participants reported overall positive reactions to their participation in the present study. Even though exposure-based interventions are known to be effective in reducing measures of negative body image concerns, the present study failed to show any significant findings. As a consequence, this type of intervention targeting autobiographical memories might need to be adapted in future studies in order to reduce negative body image concerns or might not be of clinical significance altogether. Keywords: exposure intervention, autobiographical memories, self-disgust, avoidance, acceptance

Item Type:	Thesis (Master)
Supervisor name:	Frey, M.I. and Spreckelsen, P. von and Franzen, M.
Degree programme:	Psychology
Differentiation route:	Clinical Psychology (CP) [Master Psychology]
Date Deposited:	02 Jun 2022 08:45
Last Modified:	02 Jun 2022 08:45
URI:	http://gmwpublic.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/497

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