Mentor/s
Dr. Stephanie Clines
Participation Type
Poster
Abstract
Abstract
Background:
Female athletes are predisposed to a higher risk of eating disorder development due to the pressures of performance and appearance with a critical focus on weight. Different risk factors that affect these female athletes include thin idealization, dietary restraint, and body dissatisfaction. Cognitive dissonance theory and healthy weight interventions are two education programs that aim to decrease the risk of eating disorder development. This article explores current evidence for a difference in effectiveness between the two theories in decreasing risk of eating disorder development among females in the collegiate setting.
Methods:
Three online databases (PubMed, Cumulative Index for Nursing and Allied Health Literature [CINAHL], and ScienceDirect) were searched between September and November of 2020. Studies were only included if they contained assessment of risk factors for eating disorder development as an outcome, included female collegiate athletes, and compared cognitive dissonance theory with healthy weight intervention for prevention of eating disorders. A STROBE analysis was performed for quality assessment of each study.
Results:
The literature search produced fifty-six potential studies for inclusion, three were included in the analysis. Each study compared cognitive dissonance and healthy weight intervention to an untreated control group in eating disorder risk factor assessment. One study5 found that female athletes classified in non-lean sports showed great improvement in body negativity with cognitive dissonance than in the healthy weight intervention. Two studies3,6 found both programs/interventions decreased risk. Two3,6 out of the three3,5,6 demonstrated cognitive dissonance is better and one out of the three believe healthy weight programs work just as well, and are preferred by athletes. One study6 found that female athletes from nine NCAA athletic communities reported decreased thin-ideal internalization at the 1-year mark from the Bodies in Motion cognitive dissonance program as compared to the control group.
Conclusion:
There is moderate quality evidence that there is a difference in effectiveness of reducing risk factors for eating disorders in female collegiate athletes who participate in a cognitive dissonance program compared to a healthy weight program. Cognitive dissonance was found to have more lasting effects on the population. However, both cognitive dissonance and healthy weight intervention had a positive impact on female colligate athlete’s body image internalizations.
Keywords: eating disorder, disordered eating, risk factors, prevention, cognitive dissonance, healthy weight intervention
College and Major available
Athletic Training
Location
Digital Commons
Start Day/Time
5-5-2021 1:00 PM
End Day/Time
5-5-2021 4:00 PM
A Critically Appraised Topic: Comparing Cognitive Dissonance and Healthy Weight Interventions in the Prevention of Eating Disorders in At-Risk Female Collegiate Athletes
Digital Commons
Abstract
Background:
Female athletes are predisposed to a higher risk of eating disorder development due to the pressures of performance and appearance with a critical focus on weight. Different risk factors that affect these female athletes include thin idealization, dietary restraint, and body dissatisfaction. Cognitive dissonance theory and healthy weight interventions are two education programs that aim to decrease the risk of eating disorder development. This article explores current evidence for a difference in effectiveness between the two theories in decreasing risk of eating disorder development among females in the collegiate setting.
Methods:
Three online databases (PubMed, Cumulative Index for Nursing and Allied Health Literature [CINAHL], and ScienceDirect) were searched between September and November of 2020. Studies were only included if they contained assessment of risk factors for eating disorder development as an outcome, included female collegiate athletes, and compared cognitive dissonance theory with healthy weight intervention for prevention of eating disorders. A STROBE analysis was performed for quality assessment of each study.
Results:
The literature search produced fifty-six potential studies for inclusion, three were included in the analysis. Each study compared cognitive dissonance and healthy weight intervention to an untreated control group in eating disorder risk factor assessment. One study5 found that female athletes classified in non-lean sports showed great improvement in body negativity with cognitive dissonance than in the healthy weight intervention. Two studies3,6 found both programs/interventions decreased risk. Two3,6 out of the three3,5,6 demonstrated cognitive dissonance is better and one out of the three believe healthy weight programs work just as well, and are preferred by athletes. One study6 found that female athletes from nine NCAA athletic communities reported decreased thin-ideal internalization at the 1-year mark from the Bodies in Motion cognitive dissonance program as compared to the control group.
Conclusion:
There is moderate quality evidence that there is a difference in effectiveness of reducing risk factors for eating disorders in female collegiate athletes who participate in a cognitive dissonance program compared to a healthy weight program. Cognitive dissonance was found to have more lasting effects on the population. However, both cognitive dissonance and healthy weight intervention had a positive impact on female colligate athlete’s body image internalizations.
Keywords: eating disorder, disordered eating, risk factors, prevention, cognitive dissonance, healthy weight intervention
Students' Information
Rachel Martin, Master's of Science in Athletic Training student, graduation date of May 22nd, 2021
Winner, Provost's Prize 2021 award. Winner, Dean's Prize: College of Health Professions 2021 award.