DOI: 10.21950/veeyms
title: FootStep illusion_Eating disorders

description: The dataset consisted of measurements obtained in two Experiments from 73 female participants aged between 18 and 49 years old. In Experiment 1, we tested healthy women assigned to three groups based on self-reported Symptomatology of Eating Disorders as assessed by a questionnaire: Low (N=21), Medium (N=19), and High (N=18), In Experiment 2, we tested women with Anorexia Nervosa (N=15). We used self-report, body visualisation, and behavioural (gait) to measure the impact of exteroceptive auditory illusion signals on body image.
description: Description of the project: BODYinTRANSIT (Sensory-driven Body Transformation Experiences On-the-move) is a research project that aims to establish a new fundamental knowledge base on how to induce, preserve, measure, model, personalize and support Body Transformation Experiences through novel wearable sensor-based multisensory technologies. The foreseen results could inform the design of new medical body-centred therapies for different clinical conditions, and applications for sports, virtual reality, robotics, fashion design and the Arts. BODYinTRANSIT has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement No 101002711). For more information, visit the project website: https://www.bodyintransit.eu. 

Characteristics: The data include self-report, body visualisation, and behavioral (gait) measures. The gait data was recorded using sensors that measured the average leg acceleration and stride time for each step taken by the participants. The data also includes questionnaire items about body weight/size perceptions and attitudes towards the body.

Acquisition methods: The auditory-driven body illusion was used to manipulate body size/weight perceptions in the participants. The illusion was created by modifying the sound of participants' footsteps to appear as if produced by different weights of bodies. The gait data was recorded using sensors that measured the average leg acceleration and stride time for each step taken by the participants. Body visualisation data were collected using a computer placed near the participants. Self-report data were collected using paper questionnaires.

Participants: The participants included healthy women assigned to three groups based on self-reported Symptomatology of EDs (SED) and women with Anorexia Nervosa (AN). The study included both subclinical and clinical EDs. The total number of participants was 73.

Analysis methods: The gait and body visualization data were statistically analyzed using SPSS 25.0. Raw sensor data (gait) were extracted using MATLAB software. Non-parametric ANCOVAs were conducted on ART data using the R package 'npsm'. Z-scores for each gait variable were submitted to an ANCOVA with the within-subject factor sound condition, with the SED group as a between-subjects group and with covariates the SED global score (as assessed by a questionnaire evaluating eating disorders) and body image distortion.

Methodology: The methodology of this paper involves conducting two experiments to investigate the influence of auditory signals on body size/weight perceptions in individuals with subclinical and clinical eating disorders. The first experiment involved healthy women assigned to three groups based on self-reported Symptomatology of EDs (SED), and the second experiment involved women with Anorexia Nervosa (AN). The study used the auditory-driven body illusion to manipulate participants' body size/weight perceptions by altering the sound of their footsteps to appear produced by lighter or heavier bodies. The data gathered included self-report, body visualization, and behavioral (gait) measures. The gait data was recorded using sensors that measured the average leg acceleration and stride time for each step taken by the participants.

<strong>See map: Spain, United Kingdom</strong>
description: SPSS, 25.0
description: MATLAB
description: R package 'npsm'