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Perceived touch deprivation and body-image - some observations among eating-disordered and nonclinical subjects

Academic Article
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Overview

authors

  • Gupta, M. A.
  • Gupta, A. K.
  • Schork, Nicholas
  • Watteel, G. N.

publication date

  • May 1995

journal

  • Journal of Psychosomatic Research  Journal

abstract

  • The developmental literature suggests that touch, consisting of secure holding and hugging, plays an important role in the formation of body image. We tested the hypothesis that women with anorexia nervosa and/or bulimia nervosa (N = 59), conditions associated with body image problems, report a greater deprivation of tactile nurturance than a sample of non-clinical randomly selected women (N = 140) from the community. Measures of body image included the Drive for Thinness and Body Dissatisfaction subscales of the Eating Disorder Inventory. Perceived touch deprivation was rated on a 10-point scale, previously developed by the author. Analysis of covariance, controlling for the effects of age and body mass index, revealed that the eating disorder group reported greater (p < 0.0001) body image concerns and perceived greater (p < 0.0001) touch deprivation both during their childhood and their current life, than the non-clinical group. Our preliminary empirical findings suggest that touch deprivation may play a role in body image pathologies.

subject areas

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Anorexia Nervosa
  • Body Image
  • Bulimia
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Personality Development
  • Personality Inventory
  • Psychosocial Deprivation
  • Touch
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Identity

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 0022-3999

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1016/0022-3999(94)00146-v

PubMed ID

  • 7562675
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Additional Document Info

start page

  • 459

end page

  • 464

volume

  • 39

issue

  • 4

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