Title:
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Thoughts, feelings and self-esteem : examining
self-management of private events using behaviour
analytic techniques
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The current thesis firstly investigated the effectiveness of the IRAP as
an accurate measurement of private verbal behaviours related to body
weight/image dissatisfaction. Secondly, it implemented an applied study using
a component from ACT and CBT in conjunction with experimental procedures
to measure the believability and discomfort of target behaviours related to
body image dissatisfaction and self/body-esteem.
A series of pilot studies enhanced the practical application of
experimental procedures and provided the textual stimuli for Experiment 1.
The first experiment compared the IAT and the IRAP along with a series of
explicit measures to investigate the measurement of weight related attitudes
and self-esteem. These results demonstrated the IRAPs potential to measure
relational responses related to the target behaviours. Experiment 2
investigated the utility of an Ideal and Perceived Body Image IRAP's as
suitable measures of implicit attitudes towards target behaviours. In this
experiment the Body Image IRAPs out-performed the textual IRAP employed
in Experiment 1.
The final study measured the effect of cognitive defusion and cognitive
distraction on the frequency, the discomfort and believability of target
thoughts. Specifically in relation to the effect acceptance of negative thoughts
had on decreasing the believability or discomfort of negative cognitions.
These findings indicated advantages for using cognitive defusion over
cognitive distraction.
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