The Effect of Attention on Body Size Adaptation and Body Dissatisfaction

Abstract
(no more than 4,000 characters
including spaces, clearly explain which EPSRC research area the project relates to - for more info see overleaf) In this PhD I aim to design a potential intervention that can be used to treat body image disturbances, including body size and shape misperception and body dissatisfaction. Both body size and shape misperception and body dissatisfaction are risk factors and symptoms of eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. The intervention is based on research showing people with high body dissatisfaction tend to direct more attention towards idealised body sizes and perceive these bodies as more "normal"-sized. I am running a series of experiments to test whether training people to direct attention away from idealised bodies can lead to a reduction in body size and shape misperception and body dissatisfaction. These experiments are completed by participants online and, if the results are promising, we aim to eventually trial them as a smartphone app that can be used by patients in a clinical setting. This PhD project relates to the EPSRC research theme
"Digital technologies for health and care" because we aim to design an intervention that can be completed online by patients, which will be more cost effective than traditional talking therapies used to treat body image disturbances.