AUTHOR=Wyssen Andrea , Debbeler Luka J. , Meyer Andrea H. , Coelho Jennifer S. , Humbel Nadine , Schuck Kathrin , Lennertz Julia , Messerli-Bürgy Nadine , Biedert Esther , Trier Stephan N. , Isenschmid Bettina , Milos Gabriella , Whinyates Katherina , Schneider Silvia , Munsch Simone 

TITLE=Cognitive Distortions Associated with Imagination of the Thin Ideal: Validation of the Thought-Shape Fusion Body Questionnaire (TSF-B)

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychology

VOLUME=8

YEAR=2017

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.02194

DOI=10.3389/fpsyg.2017.02194

ISSN=1664-1078

ABSTRACT=<p>Thought-shape fusion (TSF) describes the experience of body-related cognitive distortions associated with eating disorder (ED) pathology. In the laboratory TSF has been activated by thoughts about fattening/forbidden foods and thin ideals. This study aims at validating a questionnaire to assess the trait susceptibility to TSF (i.e., body-related cognitive distortions) associated with the imagination of thin ideals, and developing an adapted version of the original TSF trait questionnaire, the <italic>Thought-Shape Fusion Body Questionnaire</italic> (TSF-B). Healthy control women (HC, <italic>n</italic> = 317) and women diagnosed with subthreshold and clinical EDs (<italic>n</italic> = 243) completed an online-questionnaire. The factor structure of the TSF-B questionnaire was examined using exploratory (EFA) and subsequent confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). EFA pointed to a two-factor solution, confirmed by CFA. Subscale 1 was named <italic>Imagination of thin ideals</italic>, containing five items referring to the imagination of female thin ideals. Subscale 2 was named <italic>Striving for own thin ideal</italic>, with seven items about pursuing/abandoning attempts to reach one’s own thin ideal. The total scale and both subscales showed good convergent validity, excellent reliability, and good ability to discriminate between individuals with subthreshold/clinical EDs and HCs. Results indicate that cognitive distortions are also related to the imagination of thin ideals, and are associated with ED pathology. With two subscales, the TSF-B trait questionnaire appropriately measures this construct. Future studies should clarify whether TSF-B is predictive for the development and course of EDs. Assessing cognitive distortions with the TSF-B questionnaire could improve understanding of EDs and stimulate the development of cognitively oriented interventions. Clinical Trial Registration Number: DRKS-ID: DRKS00005709.</p>