Neuropsychological Predictors of Risk for Disordered Eating Behaviour in Preschool-Aged Children
Year: 2016
Type: dissertation
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Background: To date, there are no longitudinal studies of neuropsychological predictors of disordered eating in healthy preschool-aged samples. The purpose of the present study is to identify early patterns of cognitive performance that predict disordered eating vulnerability later in childhood. Methods: Healthy children were assessed at age 4 using the CANTAB Information Sampling Task, Stop Signal Task, and Spatial Working Memory test. BMI z-scores and Food Avoidance and Approach were assessed at age 4 and 6 using the CEBQ. Results: Multiple regressions using neuropsychological performance to predict Food Avoidance, Approach, and BMI z-scores at age 4 and 6 revealed that females who made fewer errors on the SWM task showed greater Food Avoidance. Conclusions: Taken as a whole, the results of the present study did not strongly support our hypotheses. However, the moderation effect of gender on the relationship between SWM performance and Food Avoidance in females merits further elucidation.
Source: TSpace (University of Toronto)
Author: Jessica Grummitt
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2559156691