Psychopathological features of patients with prolonged anorexia nervosa as assessed by the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory.
OBJECTIVE
The duration of illness is quite long in some anorexia nervosa (AN) patients. In the present study, we investigated the psychopathological features of patients with prolonged AN as assessed by the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-1 (MMPI-1).


METHODS
Fifty-five AN patients completed the MMPI-1 on admission to Kyushu University Hospital from 1999 to 2002. The patients were divided into three groups on the basis of their illness duration: a short-term group, less than 5 years of illness duration (n=31); a middle-term group, from 5 to 10 years (n=14); and a prolonged group, 10 years or more (n=10).


RESULTS
The prolonged group scored significantly higher on the MPPI-1 scales of hysteria (Hy), low back pain (Lb) and family conflict than the short-term group.


CONCLUSIONS
AN patients whose illness duration was prolonged characteristically had more hysteria with family conflict. This should be considered in their treatment.
Nozaki
T
T
Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 812-8582 Fukuoka, Japan. tnozaki@cephal.med.kyushu -u.ac.jp
Takao
M
M
Takakura
S
S
Koreeda-Arimura
C
C
Ishido
K
K
Yamada
Y
Y
Kawai
K
K
Takii
M
M
Kubo
C
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007046:Hysteria; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D017116:Low Back Pain; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D010554:Personality Disorders; D010555:Personality Inventory; D013997:Time Factors