The possible selves of women with Anorexia nervosa

• Adopting the construct of possible selves, which are conceptions of our selves in future situations, the objective of this study was to investigate how anorexia patients differ from a non-clinical control group in their conceptions of the future on qualitative con- tent, and the four quantitative dimensions positive and negative emotional valence, and beliefs about probability and controllabil- ity. The Possible Selves Statements Test was employed. Participants presented 14 possible selves by completing the question “I can see myself . . .” and rating each possible self on the 4 dimensions. The patients reported a larger number of negative possible selves, with higher negative valence, often seeing future everyday situations as negative, whereas the control group saw similar situations as pos- itive. The anorexia patients also reported negative possible selves with high controllability and high probability in relation to such situations and in some cases rated recovery from anorexia with a negative valence. Clinical implications are discussed.

Subject headings

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Psykologi -- Tillämpad psykologi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Psychology -- Applied Psychology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

self

possible selves

Anorexia nervosa

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)