Sophia Fischer

Night eating syndrome in young adults: Delineation from other eating disorders and clinical significance

The Night Eating Syndrome (NES) is a recently described disordered eating style whose status in current diagnostic systems needs to be further clarified. The aim of this study was to increase knowledge about the clinical features of NES in a sample of 1514 young adults aged 18-26 years from the general population who participated in an anonymous Internet survey. We first examined characteristics of NES and tried to delineate it from healthy controls as well as from other eating disorders in terms of socio-demography, eating disorder pathology and general psychopathology. Second, we attempted to further clarify the clinical utility of the NES by assessing the degree of distress as well as impairment. Twenty (1.3%) participants with NES were identified and there was only modest overlap between NES and both Binge Eating Disorder (BED) and Bulimia nervosa (BN) according to questionnaire-based DSM-IV criteria. Compared to healthy controls, NES individuals reported more pronounced eating disorder pathology as well as general psychopathology (depressive symptoms, chronic social stress). NES seems to be associated with considerable distress and impairment. Implications for the validity and classification of NES are discussed.

Der Zusammenhang zwischen Burnout-Symptomatik und Arbeitszufriedenheit bei pädagogischen Mitarbeitenden in der stationären Kinder- und Jugendhilfe

Working in residential care is associated with high demands and high stress. As a result, employees may develop symptoms of burnout. These symptoms lead to absence from work and have a negative effect on the continuity and quality of the residential care. Until now, little is known about burnout risks in child welfare workers, although children and adolescents are especially dependent on continuous relationships and healthy caregivers. A better understanding of the relationship between burnout symptoms and work satisfaction may help to identify starting points for prevention and intervention. The present study assessed symptoms of burnout in a sample of 319 social education workers in residential care in Switzerland using the burnout-screening-scales (BOSS). Work satisfaction was assessed with a newly developed questionnaire based on concepts of trauma-sensitive care. The questionnaire was tested for reliability and factorial validity in the present study. In order to estimate the relationship between burnout symptoms and work satisfaction, correlations and relative risks were calculated. Almost one fifth (18 %) of the sample showed a risk of burnout. The principal component analysis of the questionnaire on work satisfaction revealed four factors: support by superiors, participation and transparency; communication and support within the team; gratification in the work; and institutional structures and resources. All four factors as well as the total score showed significant correlations with burnout symptoms. Among employees with a comparably lower work satisfaction, the risk of burnout was 5.4 times higher than among employees with a comparably higher work satisfaction. It is discussed how work satisfaction could be promoted and how, as a result, the quality and continuity of care for the children and adolescents could be improved.

Selbstregulation bei Essstörungen und Adipositas – Implikationen für die Behandlung

Die Forschung hat gezeigt, dass die Behandlung einzelner Essstörungen wie z.B. der Anorexia nervosa und ungünstigen Essverhaltens bei Adipositas nur begrenzt effektiv ist bzw. dass auch nach Behandlung der Essstörungssymptomatik eine erhöhte Psychopathologie bestehen kann. Daraus ergibt sich die Notwendigkeit, weitere ätiologische und aufrechterhaltende Faktoren zu identifizieren, deren Veränderung die Wirksamkeit der Behandlung optimieren könnte. Ziel des vorliegenden narrativen Reviews ist es, anhand aktueller Befunde darzustellen, welche Rolle die Fähigkeit, Emotionen und Impulse zu regulieren, in der Entwicklung und Aufrechterhaltung von gestörtem Essverhalten spielt. Es ergeben sich Hinweise darauf, dass die Essstörungen Anorexia nervosa, Bulimia nervosa, Binge-Eating-Störung und Adipositas sowohl im Kindes- und Jugend- als auch im Erwachsenenalter mit einer verminderten Fähigkeit zur Emotions- und Impulsregulation einhergehen, und dass mangelnde Selbstregulationsfähigkeit im Kindesalter späteres Übergewicht vorhersagt. Bisher liegen keine kontrollierten Studien vor, die über die Wirksamkeit des Einbezugs solcher Komponenten in die Psychotherapie der Essstörungen berichten, es gibt jedoch vielversprechende Hinweise über die Wirksamkeit unspezifischer präventiver Ansätze zur Verbesserung der Selbstregulation.

The influence of sense of coherence, self-care and work satisfaction on secondary traumatic stress and burnout among child and youth residential care workers in Switzerland

ABSTRACT The present study aimed to investigate the incidence of post-traumatic and secondary traumatic stress as well as burnout symptoms among child and youth welfare workers in residential care in Switzerland and to assess the predictive value of sense of coherence, self-care, and job satisfaction. A sample of 319 child welfare professionals in Swiss child and youth residential care was assessed using questionnaires that addressed sense of coherence, perceived collective efficacy, self-care, and work satisfaction, as well as symptoms of traumatic stress and burnout. Linear regression analyses were conducted to determine the influence of sense of coherence, self-care and job satisfaction on symptoms of burnout and traumatic stress. Enhancing sense of coherence, work-related self-care and work satisfaction could reduce stress symptoms and increase the well-being of child and youth welfare staff. The authors discuss how child and youth residential care institutions could improve these factors among their staff.

The Role of Cognitive Factors in the Development and Maintenance of Eating Disorders – the Concept of Thought Shape Fusion

TSF, like thought-action fusion, occurs when individuals assume that mere thoughts increase the probability of feared events, and are morally equal to real behavior. TSF occurs specifically when thinking about eating high-caloric foods. People who experience TSF report believing that they have gained weight after they merely imagine eating high-caloric or ‘fattening’ foods, report feeling fatter after thinking about eating these foods, and also report feeling as though How did theories about the role of cognitive factors in ED develop since the 2 factors theory of Connors [1996]?