Association Between Judgment Biases During Facial Processing and Body Dysmorphic Symptomatology

Background: Recent work has shown that judgment biases during facial processing serve as a correlate of dysmorphic concern. The current study aimed to replicate and extend this work by further testing larger model-congruent interrelations between judgment biases and intrusions, negative affect, maladaptive behaviors and social media investment. Methods: Females reporting high (n = 30) vs. low (n = 33) dysmorphic concern categorized photographs of their own and other faces in terms of either attractiveness or gaze direction using the Biased Judgment-Dimension Task. To assess intrusions and maladaptive behaviors, participants completed the Task-Irrelevant Intrusions Task and a 3-day diary, respectively. Results: Results revealed that, regardless of judgment required, individuals low in dysmorphic concern were faster to make judgments about attractive vs. unattractive photographs. We termed this novel and potentially protective bias “Efficient Processing of Attractive Self” (EPAS). Furthermore, EPAS patterns predicted lower dysmorphic concern, higher self-esteem, and reduced maladaptive behaviors, including reduced screen time. Conclusions: These findings are consistent with a potential relevance of EPAS in maintaining dysmorphic concern. Associations with cognitive-behavioral factors highlight potential benefits of modifying these bias patterns during visually oriented interventions.