TY - GEN
T1 - An Adaptive Network Model for Anorexia Nervosa: Addressing the Effects of Therapy
AU - Inamdar, Smruti
AU - Liberatore, Teresa
AU - Treur, Jan
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - Anorexia nervosa is a serious and potentially life-threatening eating disorder characterized by severe restrictions on food intake, leading to extreme weight loss and a distorted body image. Despite its prevalence and the significant impact it has on individuals and their families, the underlying causes of anorexia nervosa are not fully understood. One potential model for understanding the development and maintenance of anorexia nervosa is an adaptive temporal-causal network model. This type of model considers the complex interactions between multiple factors over time, and allows for the identification of potential perpetuating cycles that may maintain the disorder.In this paper, we propose an adaptive network model of anorexia nervosa that focuses on the perpetuating cycle between restrictive dieting and anxiety. The model posits that initial states of low self-acceptance, adherence to the thin ideal, and perfectionism can lead to states of body dissatisfaction and feeling worthless, which in turn may drive individuals to engage in restrictive dieting behaviors. These behaviors can lead to weight loss, which can temporarily reduce anxiety levels, but ultimately perpetuate the cycle of anxiety and restrictive dieting.In addition to examining the effects of these factors on the development and maintenance of anorexia nervosa, our proposed model also considers the potential impact of therapy on the disorder. We will discuss the potential benefits of therapy on breaking the perpetuating cycle of anxiety and restrictive dieting, and improving self-acceptance, body satisfaction, and overall mental health. The introduced model was verified bymathematical analysis and validated with data from related literature. We will discuss the potential strengths and limitations of this model to study anorexia nervosa, and suggest directions for future research in this area. Overall, our proposed model offers a novel approach for understanding the complex interactions that contribute to the development and maintenance of this disorder, and the potential benefits of therapeutic interventions in addressing these underlying issues.
AB - Anorexia nervosa is a serious and potentially life-threatening eating disorder characterized by severe restrictions on food intake, leading to extreme weight loss and a distorted body image. Despite its prevalence and the significant impact it has on individuals and their families, the underlying causes of anorexia nervosa are not fully understood. One potential model for understanding the development and maintenance of anorexia nervosa is an adaptive temporal-causal network model. This type of model considers the complex interactions between multiple factors over time, and allows for the identification of potential perpetuating cycles that may maintain the disorder.In this paper, we propose an adaptive network model of anorexia nervosa that focuses on the perpetuating cycle between restrictive dieting and anxiety. The model posits that initial states of low self-acceptance, adherence to the thin ideal, and perfectionism can lead to states of body dissatisfaction and feeling worthless, which in turn may drive individuals to engage in restrictive dieting behaviors. These behaviors can lead to weight loss, which can temporarily reduce anxiety levels, but ultimately perpetuate the cycle of anxiety and restrictive dieting.In addition to examining the effects of these factors on the development and maintenance of anorexia nervosa, our proposed model also considers the potential impact of therapy on the disorder. We will discuss the potential benefits of therapy on breaking the perpetuating cycle of anxiety and restrictive dieting, and improving self-acceptance, body satisfaction, and overall mental health. The introduced model was verified bymathematical analysis and validated with data from related literature. We will discuss the potential strengths and limitations of this model to study anorexia nervosa, and suggest directions for future research in this area. Overall, our proposed model offers a novel approach for understanding the complex interactions that contribute to the development and maintenance of this disorder, and the potential benefits of therapeutic interventions in addressing these underlying issues.
U2 - 10.1007/978-3-031-41456-5_56
DO - 10.1007/978-3-031-41456-5_56
M3 - Conference contribution
SN - 9783031414558
T3 - Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence
SP - 741
EP - 752
BT - Computational Collective Intelligence
A2 - Nguyen, Ngoc Thanh
A2 - Botzheim, János
A2 - Gulyás, László
A2 - Núñez, Manuel
A2 - Treur, Jan
A2 - Vossen, Gottfried
A2 - Kozierkiewicz, Adrianna
PB - Springer Nature Switzerland AG
ER -