Psychopathological Explanation of Obesity in Adolescent Girls on the basis of Sensory Processing Patterns

Subject Areas : Clinical psychology

Alaleh Taheri ¹ , Mohamad Ali Mazaheri ² , Abbas Zabihzadeh ³

1 - MA in Child & Adolescent Clinical Psychology Shahid Beheshti University
2 - PhD Shahid Beheshti University
3 - PhD, Shahid Beheshti University

Received: 2022-06-09 Accepted : 2022-06-09 Published : 2021-12-22

Keywords: Obesity, Adolescence, Body Mass Index, sensory processing patterns,

Abstract :

The aim of this study was a psychopathological explanation of obesity in adolescents based on sensory processing patterns which were carried out in the population of 15 to 19-year-old girls living in Tehran. Participants in this study consisted of 50 girls who their body mass index was above 95 percentiles for the obese group and 50 girls with BMI between 25 and 75 percentiles for the normal-weight group (according to the World Health Organization's tables illustrating cut-offs and BMI domains). Adolescents/Adult Sensory Profile was chosen as the data collecting instrument. Findings from the MANOVA and chi-square test showed that sensory avoiding pattern was a pattern with the most frequency and higher mean among obese adolescents. The sensory sensitivity style demonstrated a marginally significant difference between the two groups. The sensory seeking style was the dominant pattern in the non-obese group. The low registration style was not dominant in any of the groups. By identifying sensory processing patterns, the threshold of receiving stimuli, and common way of responding, prediction of behavioral patterns, and designing suitable strategies could be attainable.

References:

اکبری، م. و صیادپور، ز. (1397). نقش نارسایی هیجانی و نشخوار فکری در پیش‌بینی رضایت از زندگی مبتلایان به چاقی. فصلنامه روان‌شناسی تحولی: روان‌شناسان ایرانی، 57، 59-69.

Sayadpour, Z., & Akbari, M. (2018). The Role of Alexithymia and Rumination in Predicting the Life Satisfaction in Obesity Patients. Iranian Psychologists, 15(57), 59-69.

امیری، س.، عیسی‌زادگان، ع.، یعقوبی، ا. و عبداللهی، م. ح. (1396). بررسی تفاوت‌های فردی در حافظۀ هیجانی با توجه به حساسیّت پردازش محرّک‌های حسّی. مجلۀ علمی پژوهشی شناخت اجتماعی، 6، 97-112.

Amiri, S., Isazadegan, A., Yaghobi, A., & Abdollah, M. H. (2018). A Study on Individual Differences in Emotional Memory Regarding the Processing Sensitivity of Sensory Stimuli. Social Cognition, 6(2), 97-112.

زینالی، ش.، مظاهری، م. ع.، صادقی، م. و جباری، م. (1390). رابطۀ دلبستگی مادر-کودک و ویژگی‌های روانی مادران با مشکلات غذا خوردن در کودکان. فصلنامه روان‌شناسی تحولی: روان‌شناسان ایرانی، 29، 55-66.

Zeinali, S., Mazeheri, M. A., Sadeghi, M. S., & Jabari, M. (2011). The relationships of mother, s attachment to infant and mothers’ psychological characteristics to feeding problem in infants. Iranian Psychologists, 29, 55-66

عدل‌پرور، آ. (1388). رابطۀ سبک‌های پردازش حسّی و تنیدگی والدینی: ارزیابی اولیه تأثیر آموزش مادران بر اساس این روی‌آورد بر ماهش تنیدگی آن‌ها. پایان‌نامۀ درجۀ کارشناسی ارشد، دانشگاه شهید بهشتی تهران، دانشکدۀ علوم تربیتی روان‌شناسی.

Adlparvar, A. (2009). Relationship between Sensory Processing and Parenting Stress: A Preliminary Evaluation of Effectiveness of Reducing Their Stress. M.Sc. thesis in Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Science, Shahid Beheshti University.

کاظمی، ز.، زهرایی، ش. و دهشیری، غ. ر. (1396). عادت‌های غذایی سال‌های اولیۀ زندگی و سبک‌های دلبستگی در دختران فربه. فصلنامه روان‌شناسی تحولی: روان‌شناسان ایرانی، 52، 351-364.

Kazemi, R., Zahraie, S., & Dehshiri, G. (2017). Eating Habits of Early Years of Life and Attachment Styles Among Obese Girls. Iranian Psychologists, 52, 351-364

Akbar, Z. (2020). Sensory integration and functional movement: A guide to optimal development in early childhood. In 4th International Conference on Arts Language and Culture  (pp. 311-319). Atlantis Press.

Brown, C., & Dunn, W. (2002). Adolescent/adult sensory profile. San Antonio, TX: Pearson.

CDC Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. (2018). Defining childhood obesity. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/childhood/defining.html

Chen, J. (2020). It is important to differentiate sensory property from the material property. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 96, 268-270.

Davis, C. (2017). A commentary on the associations among ‘food addiction’, binge eating disorder, and obesity: Overlapping conditions with idiosyncratic clinical features. Appetite, 115, 3-8.

Debnath, D., Nath, B. D., Pervin, R., & Hossain, M. A. (2020). Sensory drivers of food behavior. In Dietary Sugar, Salt and Fat in Human Health (pp. 131-155). Academic Press.

Delahunt, J. Z., & Mische Lawson, L. A. (2017). Relationships between adolescent body mass index, physical activity, and sensory-processing patterns: Relations entre l’indice de masse corporelle, l’activité physique et les schèmes d’intégration sensorielle des adolescents. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 84(3), 189-198.

Dunn, W. (2001). The sensations of everyday life: Empirical, theoretical, and pragmatic considerations. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 55(6), 608-620.

Dunn, W. (2014). Evaluate children’s sensory processing patterns at home, school, and in the community. Sensory Profile2, Pearson

Engel-Yeger, B., & Dunn, W. (2011). The relationship between sensory processing difficulties and anxiety level of healthy adults. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 74(5), 210-216.

Engel-Yeger, B., Hardal-Nasser, R., & Gal, E. (2016). The relationship between sensory processing disorders and eating problems among children with intellectual developmental deficits. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 79(1), 17-25.

Farrow, C. V., & Coulthard, H. (2012). Relationships between sensory sensitivity, anxiety and selective eating in children. Appetite, 58(3), 842-846.

Hebert, K. R. (2018). Sensory processing styles and eating behaviours in healthy adults. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 81(3), 162-170.

Jasinska, A. J., Yasuda, M., Burant, C. F., Gregor, N., Khatri, S., Sweet, M., & Falk, E. B. (2012). Impulsivity and inhibitory control deficits are associated with unhealthy eating in young adults. Appetite, 59(3), 738-747

Keel, K. K. (2017). Eating Disorders (2nd Ed.). Oxford University Press.

Kimball, J. G., Birstler, C. T., Bosse, E. F., Nelson, L. M., & Woods, M. R. (2012). The relationships among sensory processing styles, personality traits, and body mass index: A pilot study. Occupational Therapy in Mental Health, 28(1), 72-87.

Kinnaird, E., Dandil, Y., Li, Z., Smith, K., Pimblett, C., Agbalaya, R., ... & Tchanturia, K. (2020). Pragmatic Sensory Screening in Anorexia Nervosa and Associations with Autistic Traits. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 9(4), 1182-1190.

Lawson, L. M., & Foster, L. (2016). Sensory patterns, obesity, and physical activity participation of children with autism spectrum disorder. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 70(5), 1-8.

Levit‐Binnun, N., Szepsenwol, O., Stern‐Ellran, K., & Engel‐Yeger, B. (2014). The relationship between sensory responsiveness profiles, attachment orientations, and anxiety symptoms. Australian Journal of Psychology, 66(4), 233-240.

Levitt, M. (2019). Sensory processing patterns and emotion regulation in children presenting with externalizing behaviors. Finding from pcom.edu. PhD Dissertation, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM).

McGeorge, K., Milne, L., Cotton, L., & Whelan, T. (2015). Effects of infant and maternal sensory processing on infant fussing, crying, and sleep. Infant Mental Health Journal, 36(3), 275-286.

Meredith, P. J., Bailey, K. J., Strong, J., & Rappel, G. (2016). Adult attachment, sensory processing, and distress in healthy adults. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 70(1), 1-8.

Naish, K. R., & Harris, G. (2012). Food intake is influenced by sensory sensitivity. PloS one, 7(8), e43622.

Olsson-Collentine, A., Van Assen, M. A., & Hartgerink, C. H. (2019). The prevalence of marginally significant results in psychology over time. Psychological Science, 30(4), 576-586.

Pohl, P. S., Dunn, W., & Brown, C. (2003). The role of sensory processing in the everyday lives of older adults. OTJR: Occupation, Participation and Health, 23(3), 99-106.

Rolls, E. T. (2007). Sensory processing in the brain related to the control of food intake. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 66(1), 96-112.

Seiverling, L., Williams, K. E., Hendy, H. M., Adams, W., Yusupova, S., & Kaczor, A. (2019). Sensory Eating Problems Scale (SEPS) for children: Psychometrics and associations with mealtime problems behaviors. Appetite, 133, 223-230.

Serafini, G., Gonda, X., Canepa, G., Pompili, M., Rihmer, Z., Amore, M., & Engel-Yeger, B. (2017). Extreme sensory processing patterns show a complex association with depression, and impulsivity, alexithymia, and hopelessness. Journal of Affective Disorders, 210, 249-257.

Smith, J. A. (2016). Sensory processing as a predictor of feeding/eating behaviors in children with autism spectrum disorder. The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy, 4(2), 2-15.

World Health Organization. (2007). BMI for age GIRLS. (Retrieved from https://www.who.int/growthref/bmifa_girls_5_19years_per.pdf November 1, 2020)

Yi, S. H., Joung, Y. S., Choe, Y. H., Kim, E. H., & Kwon, J. Y. (2015). Sensory processing difficulties in toddlers with nonorganic failure-to-thrive and feeding problems. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, 60(6), 819-824.

Zucker, N. L., Merwin, R. M., Bulik, C. M., Moskovich, A., Wildes, J. E., & Groh, J. (2013). Subjective experience of sensation in anorexia nervosa. Behavior Research and Therapy, 51(6), 256-265.