PSY 215: Psychopathology/Abnormal Psych - Ch. 9

Anorexia nervosa

A disorder marked by the pursuit of extreme thinness and by extreme weight loss.

Restricting-type anorexia nervosa

Type of anorexia nervosa where individuals attempt to reduce their weight by restricting their food intake.

Amenorrhea

The absence of menstrual cycles.

Bulimia nervosa

A disorder marked by frequent eating binges followed by forced vomiting or other extreme compensatory behaviors to avoid gaining weight. Also known as binge-purge syndrome.

Binge

An episode of uncontrollable eating during which a person ingests a very large quantity of food.

Compensatory behavior

In the case of bulimia nervosa, inappropriate behaviors committed in order to "make up" for a binge; may include forcing vomiting, misuse of laxatives/diuretics/enemas, fasting, or excessive exercising.

Binge-eating disorder

A disorder marked by frequent binges without extreme compensatory acts.

Food insecurity

The limited, uncertain, or unreliable availability of needed food due to limited financial means.

Multidimensional risk perspective

Perspective that holds that eating disorders result from several key factors that come together to influence dysfunctional thoughts/emotions/behaviors.

Effective parents

Parents who accurately attend to their children's biological and emotional needs.

Ineffective parents

Parents who fail to properly attend to their children's biological and emotional needs.

Brain circuits

Networks of particular brain structures and connecting pathways that interconnect to produce specific behavioral/cognitive/emotional reactions.

Hypothalamus

A brain structure that helps regulate various bodily functions, including eating and hunger.

Lateral hypothalamus (LH)

A brain region that produces hunger when activated.

Ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH)

A brain region that depresses hunger when activated.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)

A type of natural appetite suppressant.

Weight set point

The weight level that a person is predisposed to maintain, controlled in part by the hypothalamus.

Enmeshed family pattern

A family system in which members are over-involved with each other’s affairs and overly concerned about each other’s welfare.

Muscularity-oriented disordered eating behaviors

Disordered eating behaviors where one eats excessively to gain weight and "bulk up" muscle.

Muscle dysmorphia

Disordered thinking pattern where one who is quite muscular/fit perceive themselves as scrawny/small and excessively strive for a "perfect" body through weight lifting, steroid abuse, and more. Also called "reverse anorexia nervosa."

Nutritional rehabilitation

Treatment method for certain eating disorders like anorexia nervosa where patients are helped to gain weight quickly and return to health within weeks.

Motivational interviewing

A treatment that uses empathy and inquiring review to help motivate clients to recognize they have a serious psychological problem and commit to making constructive choices and behavior changes.

Prevention (eating disorders)

Stopping eating disorders before they begin.

Body Project

Modern eating disorder prevention program where individuals are offered a total of four weekly group sessions where members are guided through a range of intense verbal, written, role-playing, and behavioral exercises that critique Western society’s ultra-thin ideal; Participants also engage in body acceptance exercises, eating-related activities that run counter to the ultra-thin ideal, motivation enhancement techniques, skill-building training, and social support exercises.