Continuity and discontinuity models of bulimia nervosa: a taxometric investigation.
Past research evaluating the continuity and discontinuity models of bulimia has produced inconclusive results. In the current study, we performed a taxometric analysis of bulimia nervosa using means above minus below a sliding cut and maximum covariance analysis with a sample of women diagnosed with bulimia nervosa (n = 201) or women college students (n = 412). Indicators were derived from the Bulimia Test--Revised and the Eating Attitudes Test--26, and both a mixed sample and the nonclinical sample were analyzed. With both taxometric methods and both mixed and nonclinical samples, results were consistently suggestive of a latent taxon for bulimia. These results challenge a dimensional model of bulimia nervosa.
Gleaves
D H
DH
Department of Psychology, Texas A&M University, College Station 77842-4235, USA. dhg@tamu.edu
Lowe
M R
MR
Snow
A C
AC
Green
B A
BA
Murphy-Eberenz
K P
KP
D000328:Adult; D002032:Bulimia / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales