A self-report assessment of appearance-related safety behaviours: Development and psychometric properties.

BACKGROUND: Individuals with appearance concerns may engage in maladaptive appearance-related safety behaviours aimed at checking, hiding or fixing perceived flaws in their appearance. AIMS: This investigation examined the psychometric properties of a newly developed measure of appearance-related safety behaviours across three different studies. METHOD: The first two studies utilized exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, respectively, to understand the factor structure of the measure. The final version of the Appearance-Related Safety Behavior Scale (ARSB) consisted of 13 items and two subscales related to behavioural avoidance and appearance maintenance. RESULTS: Number of appearance-related safety behaviours was positively associated with body dysmorphic disorder symptomology and functional impairment, as well as social anxiety and eating disorder symptoms. The measure also demonstrated convergent validity with other appearance-related measures. Scores on the ARSB also predicted performance on an appearance-related behavioural task (time spent fixing appearance prior to having a picture taken). The third study found that scores on the ARSB were higher in a body dysmorphic disorder sample compared with healthy controls. Furthermore, change in scores on the ARSB was correlated with change in body dysmorphic disorder symptoms and impairment in a treatment study for body dysmorphic disorder. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical implications and potential uses of the measure as a clinical and research tool are discussed.

A multifaceted assessment of emotional tolerance and intensity in hoarding.

Hoarding is characterized by emotionally reinforced saving behaviors, which often combine with excessive acquisition to give rise to clutter, distress, and impairment. Despite the central role emotional processes are thought to play in hoarding, very little research has directly examined this topic. There is suggestive evidence linking hoarding with several facets of emotional intolerance and avoidance, though one key limitation of this past research has been the exclusive reliance on self-report questionnaires. The aim of the current study was to conduct a multimethod investigation of the relationship between hoarding and perceptions of, and cognitions about, negative emotional states. A large unselected sample of nonclinical young adults (N=213) completed questionnaires, behavioral tasks, and a series of negative mood inductions to assess distress tolerance (DT), appraisals of negative emotions, and emotional intensity and tolerance. Hoarding symptoms were associated with lowered tolerance of negative emotions, as well as perceiving negative emotions as more threatening. Individuals high in hoarding symptoms also experienced more intense emotions during the mood inductions than individuals low in hoarding symptoms, though there was no association with poorer performance on a behavioral index of DT. Across measures, hoarding was consistently associated with experiencing negative emotions more intensely and reporting lower tolerance of them. This relationship was particularly pronounced for the difficulty discarding and acquiring facets of hoarding. Our results offer initial support for the important role of emotional processes in the cognitive-behavioral model of hoarding. A better understanding of emotional dysfunction may play a crucial role in developing more effective treatments for hoarding.

Problems meeting basic needs predict cognitive decline in community-dwelling Hispanic older adults.

Objectives. Indices of low socioeconomic status (SES) have been found to predict negative health outcomes. However, problems meeting basic needs (e.g., not having enough money for health care, adequate food, etc.) may be a more potent measure of negative health outcomes than other more typically assessed indices of SES, such as income. This article examined the association between problems meeting basic needs and cognitive decline in a sample of community-dwelling Hispanic older adults (N = 1,964). Method. The authors used a prospective design to study the influence of problems meeting basic needs on cognitive functioning. Analyses controlled for demographics, health problems, and depressive symptoms. Results. The authors found problems meeting basic needs to be a more potent predictor of cognitive decline than income. Discussion. Interventions focused on providing older adults with resources for meeting basic needs, such as adequate food and health care, may substantially reduce the subsequent level of stress and health problems in this population.