title: Sexual abuse and body-image distortion in the eating disorders.
abstract: It has been suggested that there is a link between sexual abuse and bodily self-deprecation in women with eating disorders. In order to test that model, this study considers whether reported sexual abuse is associated with body-image distortion in anorexia and bulimia nervosa. There was no association with the reported presence of a history of abuse. However, the nature of any abuse was important. In particular, women who reported more recent abuse had a substantially greater level of bodysize overestimation. The clinical implications of this finding are discussed.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, UK.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Waller
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rose
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sumra
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Baldwin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D001828:Body Image; D002032:Bulimia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012649:Self Concept