Symptomatology, psychosexual development and gender identity in 42 anorexic males.
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.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000523:psychology*; D002032:Bulimia / Q000523:psychology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005783:Gender Identity; D006716:Homosexuality; D006801:Humans; D007062:Identification, Psychological; D007989:Libido; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D011606:Psychosexual Development; D012306:Risk