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Alexithymia and body image in adult outpatients with binge eating disorder
Author(s) -
Carano Alessandro,
De Berardis Domenico,
Gambi Francesco,
Di Paolo Cinzia,
Campanella Daniela,
Pelusi Lucia,
Sepede Gianna,
Mancini Enrico,
La Rovere Raffaella,
Salini Gabriele,
Cotellessa Carla,
Salerno Rosa Maria,
Ferro Filippo Maria
Publication year - 2006
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.20238
Subject(s) - alexithymia , toronto alexithymia scale , psychology , beck depression inventory , binge eating disorder , binge eating , clinical psychology , feeling , depression (economics) , eating disorders , psychiatry , bulimia nervosa , anxiety , social psychology , macroeconomics , economics
Objective The current study elucidates the relations between alexithymia and body image in patients with binge eating disorder (BED).Method One hundred one patients with BED were evaluated. Alexithymia was measured with the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS‐20). The severity of BED was measured with the Binge Eating Scale (BES). Body concerns were assessed with the Body Shape Questionnaire‐Short Version (BSQ‐S), the Body Uneasiness Test (BUT), and the Body Attitude Test (BAT). Additional measures were the Rosenberg Self‐Esteem Scale (RSES) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Results The prevalence of alexithymia in our sample was 39.6% ( n = 40) and individuals with alexithymia showed higher scores on all rating scales. Higher body dissatisfaction, lower self‐esteem, depressive symptoms, and the Difficulty in Identifying Feelings/Difficulty in Describing Feelings subscales of the TAS‐20 were predictors of the severity of BED in the linear regression analysis.Conclusion Alexithymia was associated with more severe BED. Individuals with alexithymia and BED exhibited significantly poorer appearance evaluation and body satisfaction as well as higher depressive symptoms than individuals without alexithymia. © 2006 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc., Int J Eat Disord, 2006