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Symptomatology, psychosexual development and gender identity in 42 anorexic males

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

M. M. Fichter  and
C. Daser
M. M. Fichter*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Munich, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
C. Daser
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Munich, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
*
*Address for correspondence: Priv. Doz. Dr M. M. Fichter, Nervenklinik der Universität München, Nussbaumstrasse 7, 8000 München 2, Germany
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Synopsis

Forty-two male patients with an anorexic syndrome were assessed. Twenty-nine of them had a primary anorexia nervosa (most of them also had bulimic symptoms). They were compared with a series of 23 female anorexia nervosa patients. The males scored more highly than female patients on a number of symptoms, but generally more similarities than differences in symptomatology were apparent. Male patients with primary anorexia nervosa also showed several signs of a disturbed psychosexual and gender identity development. The data support the hypothesis that males with atypical gender role behaviour have an increased risk for developing anorexia nervosa or bulimia in adolescence.

Type
Research Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 17 , Issue 2 , May 1987 , pp. 409 - 418
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1987

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