A comparison of body image perception in bulimics, restrainers, and normal women: an extension of previous findings

Abstract

Figure drawings ranging from very thin to heavy (Stunkard, Sorenson, & Schulsinger, 1980) were utilized to assess body-image perception in a group of women with bulimia nervosa, a group classified as restrained eaters, and a non-eating-disordered group of women. Participants were asked to choose the figures that most resembled their current figure, their ideal figure, and the figure they believed was most attractive to men. All women chose an ideal figure that was thinner than their current figure. However, the size of the discrepancy between their current and ideal figure was significantly larger for the bulimic group compared with the non-eating-disordered women. Furthermore, while the non-eating-disordered women rated their current figure similar to the size that they believed men would find most attractive, both the bulimic group and the restrained eaters rated their current figure larger than what they believed men would find most attractive. Finally, although it was hypothesized that the bulimic group would desire a figure even thinner than what they believed men would find most attractive, this hypothesis was not supported, as all three groups of women chose an ideal figure similar to the figure that they believed men would find most attractive. These present results are compared with previous investigations which utilized similar methodologies.