Using young women with eating disorders as examples, this article examines how misdirected critical thinking can become very non-productive. The negative side of the characteristics of critical thinkers (precise, reflective, analytical, and reasonable) are described in these adolescents, and key steps to addressing misdirected thinking are…

Summarizes what is currently known about the potential, immediate, and long-term impact of child sexual abuse. The various problems and symptoms described in the literature on child sexual abuse are reviewed in a series of broad categories including posttraumatic stress, cognitive distortions, emotional pain, avoidance, an impaired sense of self,…

Thirteen children (ages 3.1 to 5.2 years) referred for developmental delay and excessive eating (without obesity) were evaluated. Commonalities included being in foster care, prenatal drug exposure, and abnormally withdrawn and/or aggressive behavior. (Author/DB)

Reviews the behavioral, cognitive, and other psychological features of Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS), exploring their relationships to known genetic mechanisms. PWS is a genetic developmental disability characterized by a group of specific behavioral features, including an insatiable appetite. The article briefly touches on PWS-related research at…

Discusses unhealthy dieting behaviors that can lead to eating disorders during adolescence. Outlines ways middle school and high school teachers and administrators can aid in the prevention of disordered eating among adolescents. Lists resources for eating disorders awareness and prevention. (SR)

This epilogue to a series of articles on the management of dysphagia in students and the role of speech-pathologists emphasizes the need for a team approach to the management of children with swallowing disorders and the importance of interaction between clinicians in the school setting and clinicians in medical environments. (CR)

Evaluated a health education intervention that emphasized risk factors associated with drive for thinness and body dissatisfaction among female college athletes. Surveys of athletes in intervention and comparison groups indicated that the intervention was associated with decreased drive for thinness, which in turn was associated with decreased…

Discusses the goals of early intervention for infants born with a cleft or craniofacial anomaly, which include facilitating feeding, counseling the family regarding expectations for growth and development, and identifying the nature and extent of family resources required. Program features of effective intervention are described. (Author/CR)

A meta-analysis for six weight-loss studies comparing the efficacy of cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) alone to CBT plus hypnotherapy. Notes that "the addition of hypnosis substantially enhanced treatment outcome." Concludes that the addition of hypnosis to CBT for weight loss results in, at most, a small enhancement of treatment…

Studies the relationship between incest and bulimic behavior. Indicates incest victims are significantly more likely to binge, vomit, experience a loss of control over eating, and report body dissatisfaction than control subjects. Suggests incest may increase risk of bulimic behavior, and that eating problems may be a part of a larger pattern of…

Described a sample of eating disordered adolescent males who were seen for treatment at Boston Children's Hospital Outpatient Eating Disorders Clinic. Findings suggest the idea that clinicians, coaches, peers, and family should encourage young men to share concerns about body image and weight at an earlier, less severe juncture, with the assurance…

This study explored the relationships among weight perceptions, dieting behavior, and breakfast eating in 4597 public high school adolescents using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Adjusted multiple logistic regression models were constructed separately for race and gender groups via SUDAAN (Survey Data…

Objective: We investigated the role of genetic and environmental factors in the developmental association among symptoms of eating disorders, depression, and anxiety syndromes in 8-13-year-old and 14-17-year-old twin girls. Methods: Multivariate genetic models were fitted to child-reported longitudinal symptom data gathered from clinical interview…

Peer victimization of obese adolescents has been associated with low self-esteem, body dissatisfaction, social isolation, marginalization, poor psychosocial adjustment, depression, eating disorders, and suicidal ideation and attempts, not to mention poor academic performance. Weight-based peer victimization is defined as unsolicited bullying and…

Although family therapy has become highly acceptable in the West, its applicability and acceptability for Chinese adolescents and young women with anorexia nervosa (AN) remains unknown. In this article, we report the results of a qualitative study using post-treatment in-depth interviews to understand the subjective perceptions of sufferers of AN…