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Menarche, puberty, and first sexual activities in eating‐disordered patients as compared with a psychiatric and a nonpsychiatric control group
Author(s) -
MangwethMatzek Barbara,
Rupp Claudia Ines,
Hausmann Armand,
Kemmler Georg,
Biebl Wilfried
Publication year - 2007
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.20431
Subject(s) - menarche , psychology , sexual abuse , psychiatry , sexual maturity , anorexia nervosa , eating disorders , clinical psychology , medicine , endocrinology , poison control , injury prevention , environmental health
Objective: To examine chronology and experience of menarche, puberty, and first sexual activities in eating‐disordered patients as compared with a psychiatric and a nonpsychiatric control group. Method: We interviewed 150 females, namely 50 patients with anorexia or bulimia nervosa (ED), 50 patients with polysubstance dependence (PSD‐CO), and 50 healthy controls (HE‐CO) (defined by DSM‐IV) on chronology and their experience of menarche, puberty, and first sexual activities adjusted for childhood sexual abuse. Results: ED women were similar to HE‐CO in age at menarche and most sexual milestones, but differed significantly from PSD‐CO women, who were “early starters.” Regarding their experience of menarche, pubertal body changes, and first sexual activities, however, ED women rated these variables significantly more negatively than did either of the comparison groups. These significant differences remained after adjusting for sexual abuse. Conclusion: These findings suggest a negative body attitude in ED patients already at pubertal age, namely years before onset of the disorder. Prospective data are needed. © 2007 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 2007