Silvia Platas Acevedo

Anorexia and bulimia risk as function of anxiety and puberty in Baja California-Mexico college students

Identifying the risk of eating disorders as well as associated variables in nonclinical samples is fundamental to prevention. The main objective of this study was to compare bulimia and anorexia risk depending on anxiety degree and the age of puberty onset in university students. A non experimental transversal explanatory study was carried out using a non probabilistic sample of 420 students from a public university at Ensenada, B.C. Age of participants ranged between 18 and 30 years old (59% female, 41% male) in Ensenada, B.C. Timing of puberty was measured using The Food and Health Questionaire (Gomez Peresmitre), especifically the menarquia /spermarquiaself-report, as well as the a Risk Factors Associated with Eating Disorders Scale (EFRATA) ; The Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) was also administered to all students. Among the main findings is that risk of bulimia increases with high anxiety degree and untypical puberty onset. Anorexia risk increases only with high degrees of anxiety. Results are in accordance to previous literature and are discussed within that frame.

Virtual Reality and Psychoeducation. Selective Prevention Formats in Eating Disorders

The prevention of eating disorders is considered, mainly by psychologists of health, a priority task to cover. In accord to this idea it was decided to analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of two intervention programs based in different strategies. The nonrandom sample consisted of n=58 students with a mean age of x¯=13.43(SD=1.14), which were randomly assigned to two different selective prevention programs: Psychoeducation (n = 28; age of x¯=13.46, SD=1.17) and Virtual reality Reinforced (n=30; age of x¯=13.40, SD=1.13). The results showed nodifferences betweenprograms. However, when each was evaluated (pretest / postest) results werepositive and statistically significant (p ≤.001) in those variables associatedwithbody image anddisordered eating. In additionthere was asignificant decreaseinthe percentageof participants whowere placedat risk (clinical significance) as a result ofthe preventive programs. These findingsare encouragingbecause of the importanceinvolvedin reducingrisk factors andtheeffect it has onthe health ofadolescents.