Repeated exposure to body-related memories in women with high body-related self-disgust: Impact on disgust, avoidance, and acceptance

• Published in: Behaviour research and therapy Vol. 175; p. 104496
• Main Authors: von Spreckelsen, Paula, Wessel, Ineke, Glashouwer, Klaske A., de Jong, Peter J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2024
• Subjects: And acceptance; Autobiographical memory; Avoidance; Body image; Disgust avoidance; Repeated exposure; Repeated exposure to body-related memories in women with high body-related self-disgust: impact on disgust; Self-disgust; Repeated exposure to body-related memories in women with high body-related self-disgust: impact on disgust; Self-disgust; Body image; Disgust avoidance; Autobiographical memory; Repeated exposure; And acceptance; Avoidance
• ISSN: 0005-7967; 1873-622X; 1873-622X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2024.104496

Disgust-based body image concerns can bias autobiographical memory towards the recall and avoidant processing of disgust-related memories of the own body. Repeated exposure to such memories may help breaking avoidance and promote the habituation of disgust, thereby lowering body concerns. Using a pre-post within-participant experimental design, we tested if repeatedly exposing women with high self-disgust (N = 61) to disgust-focused body memories vs. neutral memories led to changes in disgust, body acceptance, and reactive avoidance. Contrary to expectations, state disgust towards the body itself only decreased following exposure to neutral memories. Yet, disgust elicited by body-related memories decreased following both repeated exposure to neutral and body memories. Although acceptance was not found to significantly change in either exposure session, pre-post decreases in state disgust were associated with increases in acceptance following the disgust-focused exposure. In contrast to expectations, reactive avoidance increased from pre to post in the disgust-focused exposure. Overall, the results indicate that repeated exposure to disgust-focused body memories may help reduce disgust elicited by these memories and promote body acceptance. Yet, the effect of this repeated exposure to body memories did not extend to changing state disgust towards the body, possibly due to reactive avoidance. •Disgust reactions to body-related memories tended to persevere.•After repeated exposure to disgust-focused body memories, disgust responses reduced.•Decreases in body disgust were associated with improvements in body acceptance.•Increases in reactive avoidance speak to the defensive nature of disgust.•Blocking reactive disgust avoidance may be pivotal to effective repeated exposure.