Citation

Brownstone LM, Bardone-Cone AM, Fitzsimmons-Craft EE, Printz KS, le Grange D, Mitchell JE, Crow SJ, Peterson CB, Crosby RD, Klein MH, Wonderlich SA, Joiner TE. Int. J. Eat. Disord. 2013; 46(1): 66-76.

Affiliation

Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/eat.22066

PMID

23109272

PMCID

PMC3832259

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The current study explored the clinical meaningfulness of distinguishing subjective (SBE) from objective binge eating (OBE) among individuals with threshold/subthreshold bulimia nervosa (BN). We examined relations between OBEs and SBEs and eating disorder symptoms, negative affect, and personality dimensions using both a group comparison and a continuous approach.

METHOD: Participants were 204 adult females meeting criteria for threshold/subthreshold BN who completed questionnaires related to disordered eating, affect, and personality.

RESULTS: Group comparisons indicated that SBE and OBE groups did not significantly differ on eating disorder pathology or negative affect, but did differ on two personality dimensions (cognitive distortion and attentional impulsivity). Using the continuous approach, we found that frequencies of SBEs (not OBEs) accounted for unique variance in weight/shape concern, diuretic use frequency, depressive symptoms, anxiety, social avoidance, insecure attachment, and cognitive distortion.

DISCUSSION: SBEs in the context of BN may indicate broader areas of psychopathology.

Language: en