Psychological profiles of purging bulimics, repeat dieters, and controls.

In Study 1, 29 female undergraduates who met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III) criteria for bulimia were compared with 2 nonbulimic groups drawn from the same S pool. One group consisted of 27 Ss who reported feeling dissatisfied with their weight and engaged in repeated dieting attempts but not bulimic behavior. The 2nd comparison group consisted of 27 Ss who reported feeling satisfied with their weight and not dieting within the last year. Measures included the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), Personal Attributes Questionnaire, and Tennessee Self-Concept Scale. All Ss scored in the normal range, but bulimics scored significantly higher than the 2 comparison groups on a number of clinical scales. Also, the bulimics and repeat dieters reported lower self-esteem than did the nondieting group. The major discriminating variables—psychopathic deviance, mania, and physical self-esteem—separated all 3 groups and accounted for 78% of the explained variance. Study 2 was conducted with 27 current bulimic women, 12 former bulimics, 29 nondieters, and 31 repeat dieters. Results confirm the importance of physical self-esteem and psychopathic deviance in differentiating between groups. This study also revealed that bulimics engaged in sexual activities and in the adolescent acting-out behaviors of drug and alcohol use more frequently, and at an earlier age, than did the 2 comparison groups. Implications for therapeutic interventions are discussed. (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)