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The impact of sexual and physical abuse on eating disordered and psychiatric symptoms: A comparison of eating disordered and psychiatric inpatients
Author(s) -
Folsom Vivian,
Krahn Dean,
Nairn Karen,
Gold Laura,
Demitrack Mark A.,
Silk Kenneth R.
Publication year - 1993
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 - 10.1002/1098-108x(199304)13:3<249::aid-eat2260130302>3.0.co;2-n
Subject(s) - sexual abuse , disordered eating , psychiatry , eating disorders , population , psychology , distress , clinical psychology , binge eating , poison control , medicine , injury prevention , environmental health
The authors compared rates of physical and sexual abuse in women with eating disorders (N = 102) and general psychiatric disorders (N = 49). Relationships between sexual abuse and severity of eating disordered and psychiatric symptoms were also examined. While high rates of sexual abuse were found in the eating disordered sample, these rates were not significantly higher than those found in the general psychiatric population. No relationship between a history of sexual abuse and severity of eating disordered symptoms was found. However, within the eating disordered group, sexually abuse subjects reported more severe psychiatric disturbances of an obsessive and phobic nature than nonabused subjects. These findings suggest that while sexually abusive experiences may be related to increased psychological distress, they do not serve to increase eating disordered symptomatology. © 1993 by lohn Wiley & Sons, Inc.