Body image distortion in eating disorders: a meta-analysis

Body image distortion in eating disorders: A meta-analysis. The results of a meta-analytic: study on the nature of body image distortion associated wi th eating disorders are reported. They were admitted in the study 83 indepe ndent primary studies, published between 1970 and 1998, that fulfilled the previously established selective criteria. The studies produced 238 estimat ions of the effect size. measured as d index. The degree of distortion of t he image was 0.545 for anorexia, 1.019 for bulimia, and 1.185 for bulimarex ia. However, the analysis reveal a large heterogeneity across studies. The factor more frequently associated is the way the disturbance is assessed. T he attitude measures, involving cognitive-affective components, show larger average values than the perceptual measures. The influence of other modera ting variables was also analysed, as the type of instruction, patient statu s, diagnosis procedure, etc. Alternative explanations of the findings and c linical implications are discussed.