Personality Assessment Inventory profiles of university students with eating disorders

Associations between Schizotypal Facets and Symptoms of Disordered Eating in Women

Research has suggested that schizotypy-a personality organisation representing latent vulnerability for schizophrenia-spectrum disorders-may be elevated in women with symptoms of disordered eating. However, studies have not fully considered associations between symptoms of disordered eating and multidimensional schizotypy. To overcome this limitation, we asked an online sample of 235 women from the United States to complete measures of symptoms of disordered eating (drive for thinness, body dissatisfaction, and bulimic symptoms) and multidimensional schizotypy. Correlational analyses indicated significant associations between drive for thinness and bulimic symptoms, respectively, and most schizotypal facets. Body dissatisfaction was significantly associated with only two schizotypal facets. Overall, the strength of correlations was weak-to-moderate. Regression results indicated that only the schizotypal feature of excessive social anxiety was significantly associated with all risk for disordered eating factors. These results are consistent with aetiological models of disordered eating that highlight socio-affective difficulties as risk factors for symptoms of disordered eating.

Psychopathology Factors That Affect the Relationship Between Body Size and Body Dissatisfaction and the Relationship Between Body Dissatisfaction and Eating Pathology

Although high body mass index (BMI) alone does not invariably lead to body dissatisfaction (BD) and BD alone does not invariably lead to eating pathology (EP), research has suggested that there are clear relationships between each predictor and its respective criterion. We have a limited understanding of the factors that explain why some women at higher risk for BD (because of their BMI) do not report being dissatisfied with their bodies and why some women who are highly dissatisfied, do not engage in pathological eating behaviors. The present study examined such factors. A university sample of New Zealand women (N = 166) completed the Personality Assessment Inventory (Morey, 1991) and questionnaires measuring BD and EP. The tendency to report lower BD than would be predicted by one's BMI, and the tendency to report lower EP than would be expected based on one's BD, were characterized by lower overall distress (i.e., lower levels of anxiety and depression) and greater mood stability compared to those who followed the predicted outcome. Greater understanding of the factors that protect high-risk women from BD and EP may contribute to prevention and intervention strategies.

Personality Disorders and Psychological Functioning Among Latina Women with Eating Disorders

Little is known about personality disorders (PD) and comorbidities among Latinas with eating disorders (ED). The dysregulation and chronicity of PDs can complicate and augment the symptomatology of EDs. This set of analyses provides a preliminary examination of PD and psychopathology in a sample of Latina women with ED. Participants (N = 34) were administered the Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Eating Disorders Examination, and Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-III to assess personality pathology, and questionnaires (Beck Depression Inventory-II and Brief Symptom Inventory) to assess psychological functioning. Results indicated the most common clinically significant trait in the sample was depressive personality (50% of the sample had a score of 75 or higher on this trait). For Bulimia Nervosa (BN) and Binge Eating Disorder (BED), avoidant (41%) and depressive (65%) personalities, respectively, were the most common clinically significant traits. Anxiety disorders were the most common psychiatric diagnoses, and 52.9% of the sample reported both clinically significant PD traits and other major psychopathology. There were no significant differences between the BED and BN groups on prevalence of PD traits and psychopathology. This pilot study highlights the need for further examination of PD and psychopathology in Latinas with ED. Unlike previous research with White women, we found no differences on PD and psychopathology between BED and BN, and the most prevalent PDs among Latinas were different than White women. Personality and psychological functioning should be assessed in all patients with ED, with ongoing research focused on identifying patterns in understudied groups such as Latinas, a practice that may improve treatment for this underserved population.

Personality profiles in young adults with disordered eating behavior

Personality traits are closely related to eating disorders (ED) and might be involved in their development and maintenance. Nevertheless little is known regarding the association between personality traits and disordered eating in subclinical populations. College students answered questionnaires assessing disordered eating behaviors (DEB) and the following personality disorder (PD) traits: schizotypal, autistic, obsessional, borderline and cyclothymic. Participants with DEB (n=101, 87% women) displayed significantly higher scores for several variables including schizotypy, cyclothymic, borderline and obsessional traits compared to other participants (n=378). Cluster analysis in the DEB subsample led to the identification of three groups: 1) a cluster with a high level of traits (HT); 2) a cluster scoring high on schizotypal, borderline and cyclothymic traits (SBC); 3) a cluster with a low level of traits (LT). Symptoms of depression, suicidal ideations, trait anger and obsessive-compulsive symptoms were higher in the HT and the SBC clusters compared to the LT cluster. Given that two thirds of participants suffering from DEB appeared to display a morbid personality profile, it appears of prime importance to take into account PD traits of individuals with DEB.