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Joke Verstuyf Print

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Research Two seemingly contrasting trends have emerged in current society. On the one hand, many people are dissatisfied with their appearance and follow diets to lose weight. On the other hand, overweight and obesity are a growing problem in most Western countries. In the “Dietary Restraint Theory” dieting is considered the cause of, rather than a solution to, problematic eating behaviors and weight gain. Indeed, research has shown that dieters are more vulnerable to experience binge eating episodes in which they loses control over food intake. However, other studies suggest that dieting can also help overweight people to regain control over their eating behaviors. In my PhD I aim to investigate whether one’s MOTIVATION to diet can help explain these conflicting research results. Why do people diet and what do they want to achieve with it? Do they feel ashamed and want to boost their self-esteem? Or do they personally value dieting because of the negative consequences of their overweight? And do they want to become healthier or is it primarily related to physical appearance? Based on Self-Determination Theory we expect that the type of motives and goals underlying dieting behaviors have a significant impact upon the perseverance of a healthy lifestyle and the experience of binge eating. Strong emphasis is placed on the process of psychological need frustration as an intervening mechanism in the associations between motivation and eating behaviors.
 
Bibliography Bibliography
Conference information
  • Verstuyf, J., Vansteenkiste, M., Soenens, B., Van Petegem, S., & Boone, L. (2012, September). Identiteit, het schoonheidsideaal en dieetgedrag: Een longitudinale studie. Bijdrage aan symposium op het Zesde Vlaams Geestelijk Gezondheidszorgcongres, Antwerpen, België
 
  • Verstuyf, J., Vansteenkiste, M., Soenens, B., Van Petegem, S., & Boone, L. (2012, September). Identity styles, adoption of the body perfect ideals and eating regulation: A longitudinal study. Oral presentation atthe Biennial Conference of the European Association of Research on Adolescence, Spetses, Greece
 
  • Verstuyf, J., Vansteenkiste, M., Soenens, B., Van Petegem, S., & Boone, L. (2012, July). Identity styles, adoption of the body perfect ideals and eating regulation: A longitudinal study. Oral presentation at Appearance Matters 5, Bristol, UK
 
 
  • Verstuyf, J., Vansteenkiste, M, Soenens, B., (2010, September). The daily ups and downs in healthy eating and bulimic symptoms: a diary study on the role of basic need satisfaction. Oral presentation at the 24th International Conference of the European Health and Psychology Society, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

  • Verstuyf, J., Vansteenkiste, M, Soenens, B., (2010, May). The daily ups and downs in eating patterns and bulimic symptoms as need substitutes: the role of basic need satisfaction. Poster presented at the Fourth International Conference on Self-Determination Theory, Ghent, Belgium



  • Verstuyf, J., Vansteenkiste, M., & Soenens, B. (2009, september). Is diëten gedoemd om te falen? Differentiële associaties tussen intrinsieke en extrinsieke doelen en boulemische symptomen. Paper gepresenteerd op het Vlaams Congres Kinder- en Jeugdpsychiatrie en - Psychotherapie (VCKJPP), Gent, België
Publications
  • Verstuyf, J., Van Petegem, S., Vansteenkiste, M., Soenens, B., & Boone, L. (In Press). The body perfect ideal and eating regulation goals: Investigating the role of adolescents' identity styles. Journal of Youth and Adolescence. 
 
  • Verstuyf, J., Vansteenkiste, M., Soenens, B., Boone, L., & Mouratidis, T. (2013). Daily ups and downs in Womens' binge eating symptoms: The role of basic psychological needs, general self-control and emotional eating. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 32, 335-361. 
  • Vansteenkiste, M., Claes, L., Soenens, B., & Verstuyf, J. (in press). Motivational Dynamics among Eating-disordered Patients With and Without Non-suicidal Self-injury: A Self-Determination Theory Approach. European Eating Disorders Review
  • Boone, L., Soenens, B., Thanasis, M., Vansteenkiste, M., Verstuyf, J., & Braet, C. (In Press). Daily fluctuations in perfectionism and their relation to eating disorder symptoms. Journal of Research in Personality.
 
  • Verstuyf, J., Patrick, H., Vansteenkiste, M., & Teixeira, P.J. (2012). Motivational dynamics of eating regulation: A Self-Determination Theory pespective. Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity; 9, 21. 

  • Verstuyf, J., Vansteenkiste, M., & Soenens, B. (2012). Eating regulation and bulimic symptoms: The differential correlates of health-focused and appearance-focused eating regulation. Body Image, 9, 108-117.   
 
  • Vansteenkiste, M, Verstuyf, J., Soenens, B., & Neyricnk, B. (2008). Hoe (de)motiverend zijn beloningen in psychotherapie. Een analyse vanuit de Zelf-Determinatie Theorie. Psychopraxis