Self-harm and substance use in a community sample of Black and White women with binge eating disorder or bulimia nervosa.
OBJECTIVE
This study evaluated rates of self-harm and substance use in women with either bulimia nervosa (BN) or binge eating disorder (BED) and assessed whether differences in self-harm and substance use are related to sexual or physical abuse.


METHODS
Alcohol abuse, self-harm, and use or abuse of various illicit drugs were evaluated in a sample of 53 women with BN and 162 women with BED.


RESULTS
Self-harm and substance use generally did not differentiate BED and BN cases, but rates of self-harm and substance use were elevated among women with a history of sexual or physical abuse relative to women without such a history.


CONCLUSIONS
Elevated rates of self-harm and substance use may not be related uniquely to BN diagnostic status, but may be related to a characteristic shared by women with BN and BED, such as a history of sexual or physical abuse.
Dohm
Faith-Anne
FA
Graduate School of Education and Allied Professions, Fairfield University, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA.
Striegel-Moore
Ruth H
RH
Wilfley
Denise E
DE
Pike
Kathleen M
KM
Hook
Julie
J
Fairburn
Christopher G
CG
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001900:Boston / Q000453:epidemiology; D002032:Bulimia / Q000150:complications / Q000208:ethnology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000208:ethnology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003237:Connecticut / Q000453:epidemiology; D017831:Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry); D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D016014:Linear Models; D015141:Los Angeles / Q000453:epidemiology; D009519:New York City / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000150:complications / Q000208:ethnology*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000208:ethnology*; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014930:Women / Q000523:psychology