Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-m8qmq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-23T10:25:04.480Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Defensive Responses to Early Memories with Peers: a Possible Pathway to Disordered Eating

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 July 2016

Cláudia Ferreira ,
Joana Marta-Simões Open the ORCID record for Joana Marta-Simões [Opens in a new window]  and
Inês A. Trindade
Cláudia Ferreira
Affiliation:
Universidade de Coimbra (Portugal)
Joana Marta-Simões*
Affiliation:
Universidade de Coimbra (Portugal)
Inês A. Trindade
Affiliation:
Universidade de Coimbra (Portugal)
*
*Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Joana Marta-Simões. Universidade de Coimbra - Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences. Rua do Colégio Novo. Apartado 6153. 3001–802. Coimbra (Portugal). Phones: +351–239851450; +351–239851462. E-mail: mjoana.gms@gmail.com
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Childhood and early adolescence experiences, specifically those that provide an adulthood enriched with warm and safe memories, are consistently stated in literature as powerful emotional regulators. In contrast, individuals who scarcely recall positive experiences may begin to believe that others see the self as inferior, inadequate and unattractive. In order to cope with a perceived loss of social desirability and achieve other’s acceptance, individuals may become submissive, and women, particularly, may resort to the presentation of a perfect body image. Both mechanisms are defensive responses suggested to be associated with mental health difficulties, particularly disordered eating behaviors. The present study aimed at exploring the association between early memories of warmth and safeness with peers and eating psychopathology. Also, a path analysis was conducted to investigate the mediator role of submissiveness and perfectionistic self-presentation focused on body image on this association, in a sample of 342 female students. Results revealed that the absence of early positive memories with peers holds a significant effect over eating psychopathology’s severity, and also that this effect is mediated through submissiveness and body image-related perfectionistic self-presentation. This model accounted for 13%, 19% and 51% of submissiveness, perfectionistic self-presentation of body image and eating psychopathology’s variances, respectively, and showed excellent model fit.

Keywords

defensive responsesearly memorieseating disorders
Type
Research Article
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 19 , 2016 , E45
Copyright
Copyright © Universidad Complutense de Madrid and Colegio Oficial de Psicólogos de Madrid 2016 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Allan, S., & Gilbert, P. (1995). A Social Comparison Rating Scale: Psychometric properties and relationship to psychopathology. Personality and Individual Differences, 19, 293–299. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0191-8869(95)00086-L CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Allan, S., & Gilbert, P. (1997). Submissive behavior and psychopathology. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 36, 467–488. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.2044-8260.1997.tb01255.x CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Baldwin, M. W., & Dandeneau, S. D. (2005). Understanding and modifying the relational schemas underlying insecurity. In Baldwin, M. W. (Ed.), Interpersonal Cognition (pp. 33–61). New York, NY: Guilford press.Google Scholar
Cockell, S. J., Hewitt, P. L., Seal, B., Sherry, S., Goldner, E. M., Flett, G. L., & Remick, R. A. (2002). Trait and self-presentational dimensions of perfectionism among women with anorexia nervosa. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 26, 745–758.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Connan, F., Troop, N., Landau, S., Campbell, I. C., & Treasure, J. (2007). Poor social comparison and the tendency to submissive behavior in anorexia nervosa. The International Journal of Eating Disorders, 40, 733–739. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/eat.20427 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cunha, M., Matos, M., Faria, D., & Zagalo, S. (2012). Shame memories and psychopathology in adolescence: The mediator effect of shame. International Journal of Psychology and Psychological Therapy, 12, 2.Google Scholar
Fairburn, C. G., & Beglin, S. J. (1994). Assessment of eating disorders: Interview or self-report questionnaire? The International Journal of Eating Disorders, 4, 363–370.3.0.CO;2-#>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ferreira, C., Cunha, M., Marta-Simões, J., Duarte, C., Matos, M., & Pinto-Gouveia, J. (2016). Early memories of warmth and safeness with peers scale: A new measure for the assessment of peer-related positive emotional memories. (Manuscript submitted for publication).Google Scholar
Ferreira, C., Duarte, C., Pinto-Gouveia, J., & Lopes, C. (2015). The need to present a perfect body image and its impact on disordered eating. (Manuscript submitted for publication).Google Scholar
Ferreira, C., Trindade, I. A., & Ornelas, L. (2015). Exploring drive for thinness as a perfectionistic strategy to escape from shame experiences. The Spanish Journal of Psychology, 18, e29. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/sjp.2015.27 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Freitas, P. (2011). Modelos de relação interna: Auto-criticismo e Auto-compaixão. Uma abordagem evolucionária compreensiva da sua natureza, função e relação com a psicopatologia [Internal relationship models: Self-criticism and self-compassion. An evolutionary approach to understand its nature, function and relationship with psychopathology]. (Unpublished master’s thesis). Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Coimbra, Portugal.Google Scholar
Gatward, N. (2007). Anorexia nervosa: An evolutionary puzzle. European Eating Disorders Review, 15, 1–12. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/erv.718 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gilbert, P. (1989). Human nature and suffering. Hove, UK: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.Google Scholar
Gilbert, P. (1992). Depression: The evolution of powerlessness. Hove, UK: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.Google Scholar
Gilbert, P. (1997). The evolution of social attractiveness and its role in shame, humiliation, guilt and therapy. British Journal of Medical Psychology, 70, 113–147. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.2044-8341.1997.tb01893.x CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gilbert, P. (2000). Varieties of submissive behavior as forms of social defense: Evolution and psychopathology. In Sloman, L. & Gilbert, P. (Eds.), Subordination: Evolution and mood disorders (pp. 3–45). New York, UK: Lawrence Erlbaum.Google Scholar
Gilbert, P. (2003). Evolution, social roles and the differences in shame and guilt. Social Research, 70, 1205–1230.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gilbert, P. (2005). Social mentalities: A biopsychosocial and evolutionary reflection on social relationships. In Baldwin, M. W. (Ed.), Interpersonal cognition (pp. 299–335). New York, NY: Guilford Press.Google Scholar
Gilbert, P., & Allan, S. (1994). Assertiveness, submissive behavior and social comparison. The British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 33, 295–306. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.2044-8260.1994.tb01125.x CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gilbert, P., & Allan, S. (1998). The role of defeat and entrapment (arrested flight) in depression: An exploration of an evolutionary view. Psychological Medicine, 28, 585–598. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0033291798006710 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gilbert, P., Baldwin, M. W., Irons, C., Baccus, J. R., & Palmer, M. (2006). Self-criticism and self-warmth: An imagery study exploring their relation to depression. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy: An International Quarterly, 20, 183–200. http://dx.doi.org/10.1891/jcop.20.2.183 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gilbert, P., Price, J., & Allan, S. (1995). Social comparison, social attractiveness and evolution: How might they be related? New Ideas in Psychology, 13, 149–165. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0732-118X(95)00002-X CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hewitt, P. L., Flett, G. L., & Ediger, E. (1996). Perfectionism and depression: Longitudinal assessment of a specific vulnerability hypothesis. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 105, 276–280. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0021-843X.105.2.276 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hewitt, P. L., Flett, G. L., Sherry, S. B., Habke, M., Parkin, M., Lam, R. W., … Stein, M. B. (2003). The interpersonal expression of perfection: Perfectionistic self-presentation and psychological distress. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84, 1303–1325. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.84.6.1303 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Irons, C., Gilbert, P., Baldwin, M. W., Baccus, J. R., & Palmer, M. (2006). Parental recall, attachment relating and self-attacking/self-reassurance: Their relationship with depression. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 45, 297–308. http://dx.doi.org/10.1348/014466505X68230 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Katzman, M. A. (1985). Bulimia, binge eating and depression in college women: A study of coping strategies. (Unpublished doctoral disertation). Arizona State University, Arizona, AZ.Google Scholar
Kline, R. B. (2005). Principles and practice of structural equation modeling (2 nd Ed.). New York, NY: Guilford Press.Google Scholar
Machado, P. P. P., Martins, C., Vaz, A. R., Conceição, E., Bastos, A. P., & Gonçalves, S. (2014). Eating disorder examination questionnaire: Psychometric properties and norms for the Portuguese population. European Eating Disorders Review, 22, 448–453. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/erv.2318 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Matos, M., Ferreira, C., Duarte, C., & Pinto-Gouveia, J. (2015). Eating disorders: When social ranking is shaped by early shame experiences. Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice, 88, 38–53. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/papt.12027 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Richter, A., Gilbert, P., & McEwan, K. (2009). Development of an early memories of warmth and safeness scale and its relationship to psychopathology. Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice, 82, 171–184. http://dx.doi.org/10.1348/147608308X395213 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sloman, L., Price, J., Gilbert, P., & Gardner, R. (1994). Adaptive function of depression. Therapeutic interventions. American Journal of Psychotherapy, 48, 1–16.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sweetingham, R., & Waller, G. (2008). Childhood experiences of being bullied and teased in the eating disorders. European Eating Disorders Review, 16, 401–407. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/erv.839 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Troop, N. A., Allan, S., Treasure, J. L., & Katzman, M. (2003). Social comparison and submissive behaviour in eating disorder patients. Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice, 76, 237–249. http://dx.doi.org/10.1348/147608303322362479 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Troop, N. A., & Treasure, J. L. (1997). Setting the scene for eating disorders II: Childhood helplessness and mastery. Psychological Medicine, 27, 531–538.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed