Amplifying Consequences to Reduce Dietary Restriction: a Proof-of-Concept Study

This study tests whether amplifying the potential benefits of reducing dietary restriction and/or consequences of maintaining dietary restriction increases motivation to address disordered (i.e., restrictive) eating among college students. This is an online study with a between-groups experimental design which takes place over the course of one week. All study procedures are completed online.

Participants are randomized to one of four conditions: Amplified Benefits & Consequences, Amplified Benefits, Amplified Consequences, or a control condition. Baseline measures are completed on the first day of study enrollment, following randomization to experimental condition. Over the subsequent six days, participants receive daily surveys via email every 24 hours and are given 24 hours to complete each survey. In every condition, participants complete daily self-report measures. Depending on condition, participants also completed the following manipulations:

• Amplified Benefits and Consequences condition: Participants are prompted to write a brief, detailed narrative describing a day in their future if they did not restrict their caloric intake and were not concerned about their body weight or shape. Participants type their responses and provide a recording of themselves reading their narrative aloud. On each subsequent day, participants are provided with their written narrative and asked to create a new recording of themselves reading it aloud. After completing their recording and surveys, participants complete a modified version of the Pros and Cons of Anorexia Scale to amplify the negative consequences of restrictive eating. Next, they read a brief informational blurb about the negative health consequences of restrictive eating.
• Amplified Benefits condition: Participants receive the same narrative prompt and recording instructions as participants in the Amplified Benefits & Consequences condition. They are not asked to complete the modified PCAN or presented with blurbs about the consequences of restrictive eating.
• Amplified Consequences condition: Participants in the Amplified Consequences condition are not prompted to write or record a narrative. After completing daily surveys, they complete the modified PCAN and are presented with blurbs about the consequences of restrictive eating.
• Control condition: Participants write a brief narrative nearly identical Amplified Benefits manipulation; however, their prompt instead asks them to consider a future free of concern about finances. Participants type their narrative and record themselves reading it aloud. Each day, participants create a new recording. Participants in the control condition do not complete the modified PCAN and are not provided with informational blurbs.