Visual perception and dissociation during Mirror Gazing Test in patients with anorexia nervosa: a preliminary study.
Benedetta Demartini, Veronica Nisticò, Roberta Tedesco, Andrea Marzorati, Roberta Ferrucci, Alberto Priori, Orsola Gambini, Giovanni Caputo
Eating and Weight Disorders - Studies on Anorexia Bulimia and Obesity August 5, 2020 DOI: 10.1007/s40519-020-00977-6 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case-control experimental study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 28 |
| Population | 14 patients with anorexia nervosa and 14 healthy controls |
| Intervention | Mirror Gazing Test |
| Duration | 10 min Mirror Gazing Test |
| Measures | Strange Face Questionnaire, Clinician-Administered Dissociative States Scale (short version) |
| Keywords | Face Humans Body image Visual perception Dissociative disorders Anorexia nervosa Body dysmorphic disorders Dissociation Eating disorders Mirror gazing test |
| Key findings | Patients with anorexia nervosa reported more strange-face apparitions and dissociative sensations during the Mirror Gazing Test than healthy controls, with dissociative identity and depersonalization much higher in the anorexia group. These findings correlated with body dissatisfaction and disrupted interoceptive awareness. The authors argue that dissociation and body image dysfunction are strongly connected in the pathophysiology of anorexia nervosa. |
Abstract
Purpose: It has been widely shown that dissociative features might play a fundamental role in producing body image distortions in patients affected by eating disorders. Here, we hypothesize that the Mirror Gazing Test (MGT), a task consisting in mirror exposure in a condition of sensory deprivation, would elicit dissociative symptoms in a group of patients with anorexia nervosa (AN).
Methods: Fourteen patients with AN and fourteen healthy controls (HC) underwent a 10 min MGT and completed the Strange Face Questionnaire and a short version of the Clinician-Administered Dissociative States Scale, along with a psychological assessment for eating disorders psychopathology, anxiety and depression.
Results: AN patients reported a higher number of strange-face apparitions and dissociative sensations than HC during the MGT. Dissociative identity (compartmentalization of two or more identities) and depersonalization (detachment of bodily-self) were much higher in patients with AN than in HC. These findings were correlated with body dissatisfaction and disruption in interoceptive awareness.
Conclusion: Dissociation and body image dysfunction are strongly connected in the pathophysiology of anorexia nervosa. Future research should investigate the same aspects in other psychiatric conditions characterized by body image distortions, such as Body Dysmorphic Disorder. Level of evidence: I, Experimental studies.
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- Strange-face-in-the-mirror illusions: specific effects on derealization, depersonalization, and dissociative identity Journal of Trauma & Dissociation April 3, 2023
- Psychedelic use in individuals living with eating disorders or disordered eating: findings from the international MED-FED survey. Journal of Eating Disorders July 24, 2025
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