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Adult Picky Eating Behaviors: Impact of Psychosocial and Nutritional Factors

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2015, Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.), Xavier University, Psychology.
The DSM-5 (APA, 2013) added the diagnostic category of avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) as a subcategory of feeding and eating disorders, which provides for inclusion of adult picky eating. An exploratory study to investigate a predictive model for adult picky eating as measured by the Picky Eating Questionnaire (PEQ) related to psychosocial functioning and nutritional functioning was conducted. Data were utilized from 183 participants who are members of an international online support group for picky eating. Participants self-identified as picky eaters, with 83% meeting full criteria for ARFID and 16% also meeting full criteria for an eating disorder. A predictive model was created with gender as a covariate due to its correlation with PEQ. Social Eating Anxiety Scale (SEAS) was the only significant study variable entered into the regression equation and the final predictive model was statistically significant and accounted for 7.4% of the variance. However, SEAS, Body Mass Index (BMI), and the Maudsley Obsessive Compulsive Index (MOCI) were significantly correlated with the PEQ. Participants demonstrated mean scores on the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS) and Clinical Impairment Assessment (CIA) that were above the cut-off for clinical significance, indicative of social anxiety disorder and general clinical impairment. Participants were found to have overall poorer nutritional functioning, as measured by the Healthy Eating Index (HEI), with average scores in the 30th percentile, as well as mean BMI scores in the overweight range, which suggests nutritional concerns.
Christine Dacey, Ph.D., ABPP (Committee Chair)
Nicholas Salsman, Ph.D., ABPP (Committee Member)
Lyn Sontag, Psy.D., ABPP (Committee Member)
51 p.

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Citations

  • Chiu, J. L. (2015). Adult Picky Eating Behaviors: Impact of Psychosocial and Nutritional Factors [Doctoral dissertation, Xavier University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=xavier1435364686

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Chiu, Jessica. Adult Picky Eating Behaviors: Impact of Psychosocial and Nutritional Factors. 2015. Xavier University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=xavier1435364686.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Chiu, Jessica. "Adult Picky Eating Behaviors: Impact of Psychosocial and Nutritional Factors." Doctoral dissertation, Xavier University, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=xavier1435364686

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)