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Clinical characteristics of eating disorder patients who report sexual or physical Abuse
Author(s) -
Fullerton Donald T.,
Wonderlich Stephen A.,
Gosnell Blake A.
Publication year - 1995
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(199504)17:3<243::aid-eat2260170305>3.0.co;2-z
Subject(s) - sexual abuse , psychology , physical abuse , eating disorders , disordered eating , clinical psychology , psychiatry , developmental psychology , poison control , medicine , injury prevention , medical emergency
At initial contact in an eating disorders clinic, 712 female eating disorder patients were asked if they had been physically or sexually abused as children. They also completed a Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and an Eating Disorders Inventory (EDI). Their eating disorder symptom frequency and severity was determined. They were asked if they had alcohol problems, had attempted suicide, or had shoplifting problems. Twenty‐nine percent reported sexual abuse. Twenty‐five percent reported physical abuse. There was no correlation between reports of abuse and symptom frequency or severity. The abused subjects were more depressed on the BDI and showed more psychological disturbance on the EDI. Abused subjects were much more likely than nonabused subjects to report alcohol problems, suicide attempts, or shoplifting. © 1995 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.