Date of Award
Summer 2026
Language
English
Embargo Period
6-18-2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
College/School/Department
Department of Psychology
Program
Clinical Psychology
First Advisor
Drew Anderson
Committee Members
Julia Hormes, James Boswell
Keywords
Open weighing, blind weighing, eating disorders, anxiety, state body image, body checking
Subject Categories
Clinical Psychology
Abstract
Objective: Body image disturbances are central to eating disorder (ED) pathology and are often addressed through exposure-based methods, such as open weighing. Open weighing is recommended in evidence-based ED treatments, but many clinicians and patients prefer blind weighing. It may be that pre-treatment patient characteristics may influence how distressed they feel by open and blind weighing. As such, the present study aimed to 1) compare how open and blind weighing impact subjective distress and state body image, and 2) examine whether self-weighing tendencies, body avoidance, body checking, body checking-related beliefs, intolerance of uncertainty, and ED psychopathology moderate the relationship between weighing method and subjective distress.
Method: Participants were 134 undergraduates randomized to open or blind weighing. They reported subjective distress and state body image during weighing and completed additional self-report measures.
Results: Multilevel modeling demonstrated no differences in subjective distress or state body image for participants assigned to open versus blind weighing. However, objective verification, safety, and body control beliefs moderated the relationship between weighing method and subjective distress. In addition, ED psychopathology, body image avoidance, approach of self-weighing, and objective verification beliefs were associated with lower state body image.
Discussion: Although open and blind weighing did not differ in their average effects on subjective distress or state body image, results suggest that individual body checking-related beliefs may influence which method is more distressing. Patients with these beliefs may benefit from weighing adaptations in ED treatment.
License
This work is licensed under the University at Albany Standard Author Agreement.
Recommended Citation
Peters, Danielle E., "Moderators of Subjective Distress and State Body Image During Open and Blind Weighing" (2026). Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present). 487.
https://scholarsarchive.library.albany.edu/etd/487