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Relationship between depression and body dissatisfaction in women diagnosed with bulimia nervosa
Author(s) -
Keel Pamela K.,
Mitchell James E.,
Davis Traci L.,
Crow Scott J.
Publication year - 2001
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/eat.1053
Subject(s) - bulimia nervosa , depression (economics) , psychology , psychiatry , clinical psychology , association (psychology) , body mass index , eating disorders , medicine , psychotherapist , economics , macroeconomics
Objective Body dissatisfaction and depression have consistently demonstrated a positive association in women. This study sought to determine the independence of this association from bulimic symptomatology among women diagnosed with bulimia nervosa. Method Participants were 101 women who completed a controlled treatment study of bulimia nervosa and participated in follow‐up assessments 10 years later. Results Findings indicated that baseline levels of depression were independent of and superior to bulimic symptoms in prospectively predicting body dissatisfaction at follow‐up assessment. Discussion Findings suggest that depression may be a better prognostic indicator of body dissatisfaction than bulimic symptoms in women diagnosed with bulimia nervosa. A model in which depression represents a contributing factor for the maintenance of body dissatisfaction is discussed. © 2001 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 30: 48–56, 2001.