Eduarda Zorgi Salvador
Clinical psychologist holding a degree from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS). She is currently a CAPES scholarship master’s student at PUCRS, affiliated with the Well-Being and Psychological Assessment (ABES) research group under the supervision of Professor Wagner de Lara Machado. She is undergoing schema therapy training with Wainer. Her practice primarily involves cognitive-behavioral therapy and schema therapy, and she provides services to both adolescents and adults.
Schema Modes in Eating Disorders and Obesity: A Network Approach
Eating Disorders (EDs) are a category of mental disorders characterized by severe and persistent alterations in individuals’ eating behavior and weight. Obesity is recognized as a global epidemic, with the number of affected individuals steadily rising over the years. Despite obesity is not classified as an eating disorder, there is a notable prevalence of obese patients exhibiting binge eating disorder, with nearly 30% of individuals seeking treatment for obesity meeting the diagnostic criteria for binge eating disorder. ED population presents greater amounts of dysfunctional Schema Modes and more Early Maladaptive Schemas. However, despite the existing evidence linking eating disorders and schema modes, there is still a lack of substantial literature on the multifaceted association between these variables. The objective of the present study was to investigate the structure (conditional dependencies) and dynamics (expected influence) of schema modes in the context of ED and obesity. Then, we also compare those parameters in clinical groups formed by participants with diagnostic of eating disorder and psychiatric disorder.The sample was drawn from the general population, comprising 71.3% females (n = 408) and 28.7% males (n = 164). Furthermore, 16.4% (n = 77) had a family income of up to 3 minimum wages, 22.6% (n = 106) had a family income of up to 5 minimum wages, 28.4% (n = 133) had a family income ranging from 5 to 10 minimum wages, and 32.4% (n = 152) had a family income exceeding 10 minimum wages. Notably, 87% of the individuals had a history of psychotherapy or psychiatric treatment. Network analysis was used to model conditional associations between Schema modes, in the context of eating disorders and obesity. Results provide evidence that EDO, SA, AC, and IC are highly influential modes when whole sample were analyzed. When comparing groups by eating disorder or obesity diagnostic and psychiatric disorder diagnostic, SA, DP, DM, BA, and EDO are more influential modes in clinical groups. The exploratory model about modes’s architecture and dynamics may lead to potential contributions to clinical practice with eating disorder and obesity clinical groups. In conclusion, this study sheds light on the complex relationship between Eating Disorders (EDs), obesity, and schema modes. While obesity itself is not categorized as an eating disorder, a substantial proportion of individuals seeking treatment for obesity meet the diagnostic criteria for binge eating disorder. The research also highlights that individuals with EDs exhibit a greater prevalence of dysfunctional schema modes. Despite existing evidence, there remains a gap in the literature concerning the multifaceted association between these variables.