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The validity of the DSM‐IV scheme for classifying bulimic eating disorders
Author(s) -
Hay Phillipa,
Fairburn Christopher
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
international journal of eating disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.785
H-Index - 138
eISSN - 1098-108X
pISSN - 0276-3478
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1098-108x(199801)23:1<7::aid-eat2>3.0.co;2-q
Subject(s) - bulimia nervosa , binge eating , psychology , binge eating disorder , eating disorders , psychopathology , psychiatry , clinical psychology , population , medicine , environmental health
Objective This study was designed to assess the validity of the DSM‐IV scheme for classifying recurrent binge eating. Method: A general population sample of 250 young women with recurrent binge eating was recruited using a two—stage design. Information on their eating habits and associated psychopathology was obtained by personal interviews. Subjects were reassessed 1 year later. Results: The diagnosis of bulimia nervosa had good descriptive and predictive validity. On present state features it was not possible to distinguish binge‐eating disorder from the nonpurging subtype of bulimia nervosa. However, these groups differed in their outcome at 1 year. Within eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS), there was a subgroup of subjects with milder symptoms which were relatively unstable over time. Discussion: The findings suggest that bulimic eating disorders exist on a continuum of clinical severity, from bulimia nervosa purging type (most severe), through bulimia nervosa nonpurging type (intermediate severity), to binge‐eating disorder (least severe). The data on outcome support retaining a distinction between nonpurging bulimia nervosa and binge‐eating disorder. © 1998 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 23: 7–15, 1998.