Emotional Awareness in Patients With Anorexia Nervosa
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2018-07-06
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en
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Abstract
Anorexia nervosa (AN) is associated with difficulties in emotional awareness and emotion
regulation. Current theoretical models of emotional dysfunction ascribe these difficulties to
deficits in later emotional processes, implicating that the physiological components of the
emotional response are intact. This might be questioned, however, as empirical studies have
found physiological hypoarousal in patients with AN. Therefore, the present study examines
whether there are differences in the physiological processing of emotions in patients with AN.
This was examined by measuring heart rate response in 21 patients with AN and 19 control
participants while showing them emotion inducing pictures. It was predicted that there would
be a lower physiological response in anorectic patients. Results confirmed this hypothesis.
Therefore, it is concluded that the observed emotional deficits in patients with AN might not
only be caused by a deficit in later emotional processes, but also by a deficit in
physiologically representing emotions.
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Faculteit der Sociale Wetenschappen