Patterns of interpersonal problems associated with binge eating disorder.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if interpersonal problems reported by individuals with binge eating disorder (BED) are distinct from psychiatric norms, and whether specific types of interpersonal problems are predictive of BED treatment outcome.


METHODS
Subjects were 88 females with BED who completed a treatment trial for binge eating and weight loss. Pretreatment data on the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP) was compared (1) to that of psychiatric and nonpsychiatric norms and (2) for individuals with good versus poor outcome for eating disorder symptoms and weight loss.


RESULTS
BED patients reported less distress for problems with being too vindictive (hostile dominance) than psychiatric norms. Patients with good eating disorder outcome reported less distress for problems with social avoidance; patients with good weight loss outcome reported greater distress over problems with vindictiveness.


CONCLUSIONS
BED treatment may be enhanced by an initial focus on specific interpersonal difficulties.
Eldredge
K L
KL
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, California 94305, USA.
Locke
K D
KD
Horowitz
L M
LM
D000328:Adult; D004032:Diet / Q000523:psychology; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008875:Middle Aged; D010551:Personality; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015431:Weight Loss