Citation

Huemer J, Sagar A, Alquero K, Denny K, Shaw RJ, Steiner H. Z. Kinder Jugendpsychiatr Psychother. 2011; 39(6): 409-415.

Affiliation

Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, Verlag Hans Huber)

DOI

10.1024/1422-4917/a000139

PMID

22031013

Abstract

Objective: This study examines the prevalence of overt and covert aggression in women with bulimia nervosa (BN) as well as the relationship between the severity of BN and the frequency of aggressive acts. Patients and methods: 20 female college students with BN and 20 control subjects completed self-report measures of aggressive behavior and eating disorder pathology. They also completed the Juvenile Health and Wellness Survey-76 to assess general risk taking and indices of sexual behavior and mental health. Results: BN subjects reported higher levels of both overt and covert aggression (p < .001). Overt aggression tended to be more premeditated, while the self-report of covert aggression behavior was more impulsive. Levels of aggressive behavior were significantly correlated with severity of BN (p < .01). Subjects with BN reported higher levels of risk-taking and sexual behaviors. Conclusions: Aggression is an important clinical issue in BN. Subtypes of aggression suggest different pathways for overt and covert aggressive acts with impulsive covert aggression being more closely related to the binge-purge cycle. Awareness of subtypes of aggression in BN may have important clinical and treatment implications.

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