Dissonance-based eating disorder prevention program: A preliminary dismantling investigation

Objective: A dissonance-based program aimed at reducing thin-ideal internalization has been found to significantly decrease levels of bulimic symptoms in young adult and adolescent females. Because this program is multifaceted, containing psychoeducation, counter-attitudinal advocacy, and behavioral exposure components, the current study sought to investigate the mechanisms involved in symptom reduction. Method: The current study compared the original treatment program with a dismantled version of the full package, which consisted solely of the specific dissonance component (i.e., the counter-attitudinal advocacy procedure). Seventy-eight women were randomly assigned to either the full treatment condition or the counter-attitudinal advocacy condition. Results: Findings suggest that both interventions significantly reduced established risk factors for eating pathology as well as bulimic symptoms at termination and at 1-month follow-up. Conclusion: Both treatments appear to be equally effective at reducing eating pathology in at-risk college women. Limitations of the study are discussed, and directions for future research are offered. (c) 2005 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.