Predictors of Dropout From in-Patient Treatment of Eating Disorders: An Italian Experience.
Predictors of dropout from in-patient treatment of eating disorders: An italian experience.
Eat Weight Disord. 2012 Dec; 17(4): e290-7
Pingani L, Catellani S, Arnone F, De Bernardis E, Vinci V, Ziosi G, Turrini G, Rigatelli M, Ferrari S
The aim of the study was to examine possible risk factors for dropout from in-patient treatment for eating disorders (ED).The present study consisted of a retrospective analysis of clinical and non-clinical available information about 186 patients suffering from ED consecutively admitted into the Villa Maria Luigia Private Hospital (Parma, Italy) in a three-year period (01/01/2006 – 31/12/2009). Sociodemographics, clinical history and current features, and results to the following psychometric instruments were analysed: Eating Disorder Questionnaire (EDQ), Predisposing, On-set and Maintaining risk factors list for Eating Disorders, Eating Disorders Inventory-II, Body Uneasiness Test and SCL-90.Of the 186 patients, 46 (24.7%) voluntarily left the treatment program prematurely. Predictive factors included poor educational and professional achievements, parents’ divorcing, parents’ history of substance abuse and difficulties in interpersonal relationships.Dropout is a multifactorial phenomenon with deep clinical consequences: the recognition of possible risk factors may support the choice of specific therapeutic strategies to improve the treatment of ED and its outcomes. HubMed – eating
Gender differences, personality and eating behaviors in non-clinical adolescents.
Eat Weight Disord. 2012 Dec; 17(4): e282-9
Cuzzocrea F, Larcan R, Lanzarone C
Few studies have focused on the relationship between personality trait and eating behaviors in a normal sample of adolescents. The purpose of this research was to examine differences between male and female non-clinical adolescents in eating behaviors, personality traits and state and trait anxiety and to verify the relationship between personality traits, anxiety and eating behaviors in males and females. 592 individuals (324 male and 267 females) were selected. Participants were asked to fill: Eating Disorder Inventory-2 (EDI-2), State-Training Anxiety Inventory (STAI – Forma Y) and Eysenck Personality Questionnaire – Revised (EPQ-R). The results highlighted specific differences in eating behaviors and in personality traits between genders. No statistical differences in anxiety were found. Our results underline the importance of focussing on anxiety levels for girls, while, for boys, on personality traits such as neuroticism and psychoticism. It was confirmed the opinion that, to prevent eating disorders, not only is it necessary to carry out a campaign based on proper nutrition, but also to investigate thoroughly aspects of personality that may be predictive of these disorders. HubMed – eating
Helplessness, mastery and the development of eating disorders: Exploring the links between vulnerability and precipitating factors.
Eat Weight Disord. 2012 Dec; 17(4): e274-81
Troop NA
Helplessness and mastery in childhood and in response to the events that trigger onset are implicated in the development of eating disorders. However, no studies have yet explored how these are linked and whether the effects are additive or mediated.Semi-structured interviews (Childhood Experience of Care and Abuse; Life Events and Difficulties Schedule; Coping Strategies Interview) were used to assess helplessness and mastery in childhood and in response to a provoking agent in 15 eating disordered and 19 non-eating disordered women.Helplessness and mastery in childhood were related to helplessness and mastery in response to the events and difficulties that triggered onset of the eating disorder. However, only the presence of helplessness and the lack of mastery in response to this provoking agent predicted onset.Helplessness and mastery are vulnerability and protective factors but only in those women who develop an eating disorder in the context of later life events. It is suggested that helplessness and mastery in childhood act via their influence on the adequacy of coping in response to later life events. HubMed – eating
Repeated traumatic experiences in eating disorders and their association with eating symptoms.
Eat Weight Disord. 2012 Dec; 17(4): e267-73
Carretero-García A, Sánchez Planell L, Doval E, Rusiñol Estragués J, Raich Escursell RM, Vanderlinden J
This study aimed to analyze the association between traumatic experiences (TEs) and eating symptoms and their severity in a healthy group (HG) of students and an eating disorder group (EDG).The HG (N=150) comprised first- and secondyear undergraduate psychology students, the EDG (N=150) day hospital patients. EDG patients were evaluated consecutively when they entered the Day Hospital Eating Disorder Unit. Information on TEs was collected via an ad hoc questionnaire, a semi-structured interview and the first part of The Dissociation Questionnaire (Part I). The Bulimic Investigatory Test Edinburgh was used to evaluate eating symptoms and their severity.Emotional abuse was the most frequent TE in both groups. In the EDG, TEs occurred more in patients with purging behavior (anorexia nervosa of the binge-eating/purging type, AN-P; and bulimia nervosa of the purging type, BN-P) than in those with AN-R (anorexia nervosa of the restricting type). In patients with purging behavior, TEs often begin in childhood and are repeated. When the severity of eating symptoms in patients with EDs who had suffered repeated TEs was compared with those who had suffered an isolated TE, a tendency towards greater severity of eating symptoms associated with TE repetition was observed.The results obtained with respect to the presence and type of TEs in EDs concurred with those of other studies. However, unlike other studies, we found high percentages of childhood TEs in ED subtypes with purging behavior. In these ED subtypes, TEs tended to be more repeated than in ED subtypes with restrictive behavior. Further studies are required to draw conclusions on the effect of the different TEs and their repetition on eating symptoms and their severity. HubMed – eating