Positive emotions -- even those viewed through a distorted lens -- may play an exacerbating role in fueling eating disorders like anorexia nervosa, which has a death rate 12 times higher for females between the ages of 15 and 24 than all other causes of death combined, according to a Rutgers study.
In research published in Clinical Psychological Science, Edward Selby, an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology, School of Arts and Sciences, measured over a two week period the emotional states of 118 women between the ages of 18-58 being treated for anorexia nervosa. Selby found that those in the study not only suffered from negative emotions but also felt emotionally positive, having a sense of pride over being able to maintain and exceed their weight-loss goals.
In research published in Clinical Psychological Science, Edward Selby, an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology, School of Arts and Sciences, measured over a two week period the emotional states of 118 women between the ages of 18-58 being treated for anorexia nervosa. Selby found that those in the study not only suffered from negative emotions but also felt emotionally positive, having a sense of pride over being able to maintain and exceed their weight-loss goals.
