Unattractive, corrupted, and culpable feared self-themes: Expanding our understanding of self-concept in relation to eating pathology

There is growing support for fear of self as a transdiagnostic construct implicated in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and eating disorders. However, few studies have examined how perceived proximity to a feared self may be associated with the relationship between fear of self and eating pathology. A community sample of women (N = 290) completed an online questionnaire battery. Eating pathology was positively associated with the feared unattractive self and, to a lesser extent, with feared corrupted and culpable selves, suggesting the relevance of a range of feared selves in eating pathology. There was a significant interaction between fear of the unattractive self and perceived proximity to this feared self (operationalized as ‘feeling fat’) in relation to eating pathology.