Clinical and non-clinical binges.
A study was conducted to determine if, and in what respects, clinical binges (reported by bulimic subjects) are different from non-clinical binges (reported by a non-clinical population). Furthermore, the study tested whether the DSM-III-R criteria and other variables that are retrospectively claimed to be defining characteristics indeed differentiate binges from non-binge eating episodes. Clinical binges appeared to differ from non-clinical binges as to amount of calories ingested and duration. With respect to subjective experience, clinical and non-clinical binges did not differ. The DSM-III-R criteria for binge eating discriminate clinical and non-clinical binges quite well from non-binges. With the addition of other seemingly important variables, binges are not discriminated better from non-binges than with the DSM-III-R variables alone. It is argued that the difference between pathological binge eating and non-clinical binge eating is mainly a matter of severity.
Jansen
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A
Department of Mental Health Sciences/Experimental Psychopathology, Limburg University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
van den Hout
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M
Griez
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E
D000328:Adult; D002032:Bulimia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D002149:Energy Intake; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales