DClinPsy Portfolio Volume 1 of 3 - University of Hertfordshire ...

If there are different expectations about the ideal body across cultures it may be
interesting to measure inflexibility in the cultures that have a different body ideal to see
whether they have higher levels of flexibility and or body image acceptance.
Randomised control trials to compare ACT treatment such as that for AN (Heffner et al,
2004) with other treatments should be undertaken to support the utility of ACT as a
treatment.
Conclusions
The hypotheses investigated in this project included looking at the relationship between
inflexibility in emotional processing and eating disorder risk (EDR), inflexibility was
found to be significantly higher in the high eating disorder risk group as was
hypothesised. Body image acceptance was associated with flexibility and higher
depression and anxiety scores were found to be associated with inflexibility and higher
EDR.
These findings provide evidence for both the ACT model and a transdiagnostic approach
which is positive in light of research that suggests that current treatment and prevention
approaches are not good enough as yet. This study suffered from various limitations
primarily the cross–sectional design that disallows any firm conclusions about cause and
effect and does not allow one to see the progression of a disorder. Nevertheless, it has
added support to the literature that suggests the usefulness of ‘inflexibility’ as a
transdiagnostic concept.
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