Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-fbnjt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-19T03:52:48.607Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Sexual Abuse and the Severity of Bulimic Symptoms

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Glenn Waller
Glenn Waller*
Affiliation:
University Hospital of South Manchester, University of Birmingham, School of Psychology, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

In a clinical series of 40 bulimic women, a reported history of unwanted sexual experience was associated with more frequent bingeing and (to a lesser extent) vomiting. These symptoms were more marked when the abuse was intrafamilial, involved force, or occurred before the victim was 14 years old. Further research is required to establish the causal links between the phenomena of sexual abuse and bulimic symptoms.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 161 , Issue 1 , July 1992 , pp. 90 - 93
Copyright
Copyright © 1992 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

American Psychiatric Association (1987) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (3rd edn, revised) (DSM–III–R). Washington, DC: APA.Google Scholar
Calam, R. & Slade, P. (1989) Sexual experience and eating problems in female undergraduates. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 8, 391–397.Google Scholar
Fairburn, C. G. (1986) Diagnostic criteria. In Current Approaches: Bulimia Nervosa (eds Downey, L. J. & Malkin, J. C.). Southampton: Duphar.Google Scholar
Finkelhor, D. (1986) A Sourcebook on Child Sexual Abuse. Beverly Hills: Sage.Google Scholar
Finn, S., Hartmann, M., Leon, G., et al (1986) Eating disorders and sexual abuse: lack of confirmation for a clinical hypothesis. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 5, 1051–1060.Google Scholar
Garner, D. M., Olmsted, M. P., Bohr, Y., et al (1982) The Eating Attitudes Test: psychometric features and clinical correlates. Psychological Medicine, 12, 871–878.Google Scholar
Golofarb, L. A. (1987) Sexual abuse antecedent to anorexia nervosa, bulimia, and compulsive overeating: three case reports. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 6, 675–680.3.0.CO;2-R>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hsu, L. K. G. (1983) The aetiology of anorexia nervosa. Psychological Medicine, 13, 231–238.Google ScholarPubMed
Jacobson, A. & Richardson, B. (1987) Assault experiences of 100 psychiatric inpatients: evidence of the need for routine inquiry. American Journal of Psychiatry, 144, 908–913.Google Scholar
Jehu, D (1988) Beyond Sexual Abuse: Therapy with Women who were Childhood Victims. Chichester: Wiley.Google Scholar
Lacey, J. H. (1986) Pathogenesis. In Current Approaches: Bulimia Nervosa (eds. Downey, L. J. & Malkin, J. C.). Southampton: Duphar.Google Scholar
Lacey, J. H. (1990) Incest, incestuous fantasy and indecency: a clinical catchment area study of normal-weight bulimic women. British Journal of Psychiatry, 157, 399–403.Google Scholar
Llewellyn-Jones, D. & Abraham, S. F. (1984) Quetelet index in diagnosis of anorexia nervosa. British Medical Journal, 288, 1800.Google Scholar
Oppenheimer, R., Howells, K., Palmer, R. L., et al (1985) Adverse sexual experience in childhood and clinical eating disorders: a preliminary description. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 19, 357–361.Google Scholar
Palmer, R. L., Oppenheimer, R., Dignon, A., et al (1990) Childhood sexual experiences with adults reported by women with eating disorders: an extended series. British Journal of Psychiatry, 156, 699–703.Google Scholar
Russell, G. F. M. (1985) The changing face of anorexia nervosa: an introduction to the conference. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 19, 101–109.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schechter, J. O., Schawtz, H. P. & Greenfeld, D. G. (1987) Sexual assault and anorexia nervosa. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 6, 313–316.Google Scholar
Slade, P. (1982) Towards a functional analysis of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 21, 167–179.Google Scholar
Smolak, L., Levine, M. P. & Sullins, E. (1990) Are child sexual experiences related to eating disordered attitudes and behaviours in a college sample? International Journal of Eating Disorders, 9, 167–178.Google Scholar
Waller, G. (1991) Sexual abuse as a factor in eating disorders. British Journal of Psychiatry, 159, 664–671.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.