One liners

What a difference a headline makes:

Anorexia More Severe When Preceded by Overanxious Disorder

Childhood anxiety may worsen anorexia

This is the same study, and they are saying the same thing, sort of. But the second headline's subtle shift makes a crucial error.

The first headline, appropriately, alerts us that the prognosis may be affected by pre-existing anxiety disorder. It does not imply one causes the other, nor does it say it doesn't. Also, by using the word disorder in the title, we are being told this is not garden variety anxiety or a lifestyle choice.

The first headline is helpful. The second, not so much.

Comments

  1. I hate the correlation = causation assumption

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Laura, speaking of childhood anxiety, have you seen this article? I think this approach for childhood OCD (which has in fact become standard) supports maudsely/close parental involvement in eating disorders as well. Thought of you when I saw it.

    http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-05/l-ycw051508.php

    ReplyDelete
  3. My favorite line from that release:

    "Use humor generously."

    ReplyDelete

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