Fear, Gastrointestinal Distress, and Interoception: Physiological and Psychological Mechanisms in Eating Disorders

Fear, Gastrointestinal Distress, and Interoception: Physiological and Psychological Mechanisms in Eating Disorders

The proposed study tests fear, gut peptide response, and perceptions of fullness as causes of gastrointestinal distress and eating disorder maintenance.

Inclusion Criteria:

• female
• DSM-5 eating disorder
• score 16 or higher on the Clinical Impairment Assessment
• experience nausea or stomachache after eating at least "sometimes"
• 18 to 40 years old
• body mass index between 18.5 and 26.5 kg/m2

Exclusion Criteria:

• medical conditions affect appetite or weight
• Recent pregnancy or current breastfeeding
• Dairy, strawberry or honey food allergy
• Specific phobia, blood-injection-injury type