The effect of alcohol on body size discrepancy and self-awareness in young women

Research has repeatedly verified high co-prevalence rates for bulimia and alcohol abuse. Two heuristics may help explain this co-occurrence. The self-inflation component of Steele and Josephs' myopia model has been evaluated and results have indicated that alcohol consumption results in decreased self-discrepancy. Research on Hull's self-awareness model also has largely found that alcohol decreases self-awareness among highly self-conscious individuals. Body size discrepancy and high self-awareness are believed to be core features of bulimia. Therefore, evidence that alcohol decreases body size discrepancy and self-awareness might clarify high rates of alcohol use in this population. A placebo-control design was used to examine the effect of alcohol on changes in body size discrepancy and self-awareness among female participants (N = 57). However, results did not show a significant effect of alcohol on body size discrepancy or self-awareness, regardless of bulimic symptom severity.