Linguistic Indicators of Positive Emotion Predict Long-Term Eating Disorder Symptom Change

Barcelona, Spain · May 2026

Posters · Mental Health in Focus: Symptoms, Support & Intervention

Kaitlyn Ventre
Pennsylvania State University, University Park
Adam Calderon
The Pennsylvania State University, University Park
Jannah Moussaoui
Washington University in St. Louis
William Chan
Palo Alto University
William Chan
Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Arielle Smith
Northwestern University
Lauren Fowler
University of South Carolina
Denise Wilfley
Washington University School of Medicine
Nicholas Jacobson
Dartmouth College
Michelle Newman
The Pennsylvania State University
Ellen Fitzsimmons-Craft
Washington University in St. Louis

Abstract

We examined whether positive emotional language in user–chatbot messages predicted eating-disorder symptom change among 199 young women (M_age = 21.08) in a two-month chatbot prevention trial. Positive emotion expression predicted greater six-month symptom reductions, suggesting emotional language may signal later improvement and could inform optimization of digital prevention programs.

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Linguistic Indicators of Positive Emotion Predict Long-Term Eating Disorder Symptom Change

Abstract

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