Symposia
Eating Disorders
Taylor R. Perry, M.A. (she/her/hers)
Graduate Student
SUNY Albany
Albany, New York
Ainara Higgins, undergraduate (she/her/hers)
Research Assistant
SUNY Albany
Albany, New York
Kayla Costello, M.S. (she/her/hers)
Graduate PhD Student in Clinical Psychology
University at Albany, State University of New York
Albany, New York
Danielle E. Peters, B.A.
Graduate Student
University at Albany, State University of New York
Albany, New York
Christina M. Sanzari, B.A.
Doctoral Student
University at Albany, State University of New York
Saratoga Springs, New York
Susana Cruz Garcia, B.A.
Graduate student/researcher
University at Albany, State University of New York
Staten Island, New York
Altered interoceptive awareness may maintain eating disorder (ED) symptoms. Interoceptive exposure (IE) may correct altered interoceptive processes. Through IE, individuals are continuously exposed to feared physical sensations (e.g., heart palpitations). IEs has been effective in treating panic disorder and has been shown to be feasible and acceptable in individuals with EDs. IE has demonstrated a decrease in ED symptoms in a small case series. While ED specific IE have been created (e.g., water gulping to mimic fullness) it is unclear if ED specific IE show greater improvements in ED symptoms compared to traditional IE. Thus, this study sought to examine if there was a difference in ED symptoms after 4-weeks of IE between ED specific IE and traditional IE. Participants were N=13 college females (46.2% White) Mage= 18.31 (SD =.48), with elevated body dissatisfaction. Participants were randomized to either ED specific IE (n=7) or traditional IE (n=6). Research staff provided psychoeducation about IE from the Unified Protocol. Participants then choose an IE from their condition to complete with research staff supervision. IEs were completed two times a day each week for one month. Participants completed the Eating Pathology Symptoms Inventory (EPSI) and the Eating Disorder-15 (ED-15) at baseline and one month later to measure ED psychopathology. Paired samples t-test demonstrated that there was a significant decrease in EPSI subscales (Body Dissatisfaction, Binge-Eating, Cognitive Restriction, and Excessive Exercise) and ED-15 subscales (Weight and Shape Concerns and Eating concerns) ps < .03, ds = .71-6.01 regardless of IE condition but not for EPSI restriction p = .07. Independent t-test demonstrated that there were no significant differences in changes from baseline session to 1-month between IE conditions on the EPSI subs-scale (Body Dissatisfaction, Binge-Eating, Cognitive Restriction, Restriction, and Excessive Exercise) or ED-15 subscales (Weight and Shape Concerns and Eating concerns) ps > .27. Results from this study support previous research that IE can be beneficial in decreasing ED psychopathology. Since ED specific IE was not uniquely associated with decreases in ED psychopathology relative to traditional IE, what might be most important in IE is teaching individuals that they can tolerate physical sensations in general. Future research is needed in a larger clinical sample. Furthermore, longitudinal research is needed to determine if ED specific or traditional IE maintains symptom reduction beyond the end of treatment.
