Tags

Type your tag names separated by a space and hit enter

Managing anxiety in eating disorders with knitting.
Eat Weight Disord. 2009 Mar; 14(1):e1-5.EW

Abstract

OBJECTIVE

Recovery from anorexia nervosa (AN) is often confounded by intrusive, anxious preoccupations with control of eating, weight and shape. These are distressing and represent a potential barrier to psychological change. Theoretical and empirical evidence suggests that performing a concurrent visuospatial task reduces the emotional intensity of distressing images. We assessed whether the visuospatial task of knitting influences the anxious preoccupation experienced by inpatients with AN.

METHOD

Prospective interventional cohort.

SUBJECTS

Thirty-eight women with AN admitted to a specialized eating disorder unit.

INTERVENTION

All subjects were given knitting lessons and free access to supplies.

MEASURE

Subjects were asked to report the qualitative effects of knitting on their psychological state using a self-report questionnaire.

RESULTS

Patients reported a subjective reduction in anxious preoccupation when knitting. In particular, 28/38 (74%) reported it lessened the intensity of their fears and thoughts and cleared their minds of eating disorder preoccupations, 28/38 (74%) reported it had a calming and therapeutic effect and 20/38 (53%) reported it provided satisfaction, pride and a sense of accomplishment.

DISCUSSION

This preliminary data suggests that knitting may benefit inpatients with eating disorders by reducing their anxious preoccupations about eating, weight and shape control. The specificity of this effect is yet to be determined. This preliminary outcome requires further controlled study in AN subjects. From a clinical perspective, knitting is inexpensive, easily learned, can continue during social interaction, and can provide a sense of accomplishment. The theoretical and empirical rationale for this observation, and implications for deriving alternative strategies to augment treatment in AN, are discussed.

Authors+Show Affiliations

Clave-Brule M
Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
Mazloum A
No affiliation info available
Park RJ
No affiliation info available
Harbottle EJ
No affiliation info available
Birmingham CL
No affiliation info available

MeSH

AdultAnorexia NervosaAnxietyFeeding BehaviorFemaleHumansMiddle AgedPsychomotor PerformanceRelaxation TherapySurveys and QuestionnairesTreatment Outcome

Pub Type(s)

Clinical Trial
Journal Article

Language

eng

PubMed ID

19367130

Citation

Clave-Brule, M, et al. "Managing Anxiety in Eating Disorders With Knitting." Eating and Weight Disorders : EWD, vol. 14, no. 1, 2009, pp. e1-5.
Clave-Brule M, Mazloum A, Park RJ, et al. Managing anxiety in eating disorders with knitting. Eat Weight Disord. 2009;14(1):e1-5.
Clave-Brule, M., Mazloum, A., Park, R. J., Harbottle, E. J., & Birmingham, C. L. (2009). Managing anxiety in eating disorders with knitting. Eating and Weight Disorders : EWD, 14(1), e1-5.
Clave-Brule M, et al. Managing Anxiety in Eating Disorders With Knitting. Eat Weight Disord. 2009;14(1):e1-5. PubMed PMID: 19367130.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - JOUR T1 - Managing anxiety in eating disorders with knitting. AU - Clave-Brule,M, AU - Mazloum,A, AU - Park,R J, AU - Harbottle,E J, AU - Birmingham,C L, PY - 2009/4/16/entrez PY - 2009/4/16/pubmed PY - 2009/5/15/medline SP - e1 EP - 5 JF - Eating and weight disorders : EWD JO - Eat Weight Disord VL - 14 IS - 1 N2 - OBJECTIVE: Recovery from anorexia nervosa (AN) is often confounded by intrusive, anxious preoccupations with control of eating, weight and shape. These are distressing and represent a potential barrier to psychological change. Theoretical and empirical evidence suggests that performing a concurrent visuospatial task reduces the emotional intensity of distressing images. We assessed whether the visuospatial task of knitting influences the anxious preoccupation experienced by inpatients with AN. METHOD: Prospective interventional cohort. SUBJECTS: Thirty-eight women with AN admitted to a specialized eating disorder unit. INTERVENTION: All subjects were given knitting lessons and free access to supplies. MEASURE: Subjects were asked to report the qualitative effects of knitting on their psychological state using a self-report questionnaire. RESULTS: Patients reported a subjective reduction in anxious preoccupation when knitting. In particular, 28/38 (74%) reported it lessened the intensity of their fears and thoughts and cleared their minds of eating disorder preoccupations, 28/38 (74%) reported it had a calming and therapeutic effect and 20/38 (53%) reported it provided satisfaction, pride and a sense of accomplishment. DISCUSSION: This preliminary data suggests that knitting may benefit inpatients with eating disorders by reducing their anxious preoccupations about eating, weight and shape control. The specificity of this effect is yet to be determined. This preliminary outcome requires further controlled study in AN subjects. From a clinical perspective, knitting is inexpensive, easily learned, can continue during social interaction, and can provide a sense of accomplishment. The theoretical and empirical rationale for this observation, and implications for deriving alternative strategies to augment treatment in AN, are discussed. SN - 1590-1262 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/19367130/Managing_anxiety_in_eating_disorders_with_knitting_ L2 - https://www.diseaseinfosearch.org/result/7698 DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -