Bulimia: an empirical analysis of psychodynamic theory.
This study examined two aspects of psychodynamic theory concerning bulimia nervosa, that bulimic patients ascribe to a traditionally feminine sex-role and that bulimic women have difficulty differentiating emotional from visceral sensations. 18 bulimic and 18 control women were administered the Bem Sex-role Inventory and the Eating Disorder Inventory. Contrary to dynamic theory, bulimic women were not more likely classified as traditionally feminine than control subjects; however, significantly more controls than bulimic women were classified as androgynous. Analysis of scores on the Eating Disorder Inventory's Interoceptive Awareness scale indicated a significant difference between bulimic persons and controls, providing strong support for the hypothesis that bulimic women have a difficult time differentiating emotional from visceral sensations.
Herkov
M J
MJ
Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville 32610-0256.
Greer
R A
RA
Blau
B I
BI
McGuire
J M
JM
Eaker
D
D
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000523:psychology; D001364:Awareness; D002032:Bulimia / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011574:Psychoanalytic Theory; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000523:psychology