Sociotropy, autonomy, and bulimic symptomatology.
OBJECTIVE
The cognitive-behavioral model of bulimia nervosa suggests that maladaptive cognitions are associated with the development and maintenance of bulimia nervosa. This study was conducted to evaluate (a) the relation between bulimic symptomatology and the cognitive-personality styles of sociotropy (reflecting themes of acceptance and approval) and autonomy (reflecting themes of independence and achievement), and (b) the specificity of the relation between these two cognitive-personality styles and bulimic versus depressive symptoms.


METHODS
105 undergraduate women were administered self-report measures of sociotropy and autonomy, as well as bulimic and depressive symptomatology.


RESULTS
Whereas both sociotropy and autonomy were related to bulimic symptomatology, only sociotropy was uniquely associated with symptoms of bulimia when controlling for the effects of depressive symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
Themes of acceptance and approval may be important cognitive-personality features of bulimia nervosa.
Friedman
M A
MA
Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8205, USA.
Whisman
M A
MA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002032:Bulimia / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008960:Models, Psychological; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D012649:Self Concept