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Cognitive Vulnerability In Anxiety, Emotional Dysregulation, And Bulimia Nervosa, Rachael Motley

Inquiry: The University of Arkansas Undergraduate Research Journal

Bulimia Nervosa (BN) is an eating disorder that is characterized by recurrent cycles of binge eating and compensatory behaviors (e.g. purging). Individuals suffering from BN usually report feeling anxious or depressed before the onset of their eating problems, and disordered eating may represent an attempt to cope with negative emotion. The anxiety associated with BN may arise from several pathways including body dissatisfaction, idealized images of thinness, and negative life events (Polivy & Herman, 2002). There are also other factors that contribute to the development of BN including difficulties with emotion regulation (e.g. alexithymia). We propose that certain individuals are …