Conceptualizing the role of disgust in avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder: Implications for the etiology and treatment of selective eating. Issue 4 (9th January 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Menzel, Jessie E.; Reilly, Erin E.; Luo, Tana J.; Kaye, Walter H.
• Other Names: Eddy Kamryn T. guestEditor.; Thomas Jennifer J. guestEditor.
• Is Part Of: International journal of eating disorders. Volume 52:Issue 4(2019)
• Page Start: 462
• Page End: 465
• Publication Date: 2019-01-09
• Subjects: avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder -- disgust -- evaluative conditioning -- feeding and eating disorders -- selective eating -- treatment; Appetite disorders -- Periodicals; Ingestion disorders -- Periodicals; Eating disorders -- Periodicals; 616.8526
• DOI: 10.1002/eat.23006
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0276-3478

Abstract

Abstract: Selective eating is a common presenting problem in Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID). Understanding the etiology of selective eating will lead to the creation of more effective treatments for this problem. Recent reports have linked disgust sensitivity to picky eating, and the field has yet to conceptualize the role that disgust might play in ARFID. Disgust has long been tied to formation of taste aversions and is considered at its core to be a food‐related emotion. A brief review of the literature on disgust reveals that disgust has a unique psychophysiological profile compared to other emotions, like anxiety, and that disgust is resistant to extinction procedures. If disgust is implicated in the etiology of selective eating, its presence would have a significant impact on treatment approaches. This article provides an overview of the research on disgust and eating, a clinical example of the treatment challenges that disgust may pose, and an overview of the unique clinical features of disgust as they apply to psychopathology. We pose several research questions related to disgust and selective eating and discuss initial hypotheses for pursing this line of inquiry. Finally, we discuss the possible implications of this line of research for treatment.