Identity impairment and the eating disorders: content and organization of the self-concept in women with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.
OBJECTIVE
The cognitive model of the self-concept was used to test the theoretical proposition that disturbances in overall identity development are a core vulnerability that lead to formation of a fat body weight self-definition and eating disorder symptomatology.


METHODS
Structural properties of the self-concept, availability in memory of a fat body weight self-schema, and eating disordered attitudes and behaviours were measured in women with anorexia nervosa (AN) (n = 26), bulimia nervosa (BN) (n = 53) and controls (n = 32).


RESULTS
Women with (AN) and (BN) had fewer positive and more negative and highly interrelated self-schemas compared to controls, and women with BN showed information processing evidence of a fat self-schema available in memory. These self-concept properties predicted eating disordered attitudes and behaviour.


CONCLUSIONS
Disturbances in the overall collection of identities--an impoverished self--is an important contributor to eating disorder symptomatology. The development of new positive selves may be an important factor in recovery.
The University of Michigan School of Nursing, 400 N. Ingalls, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. kfarchau@umich.edu
Karen Farchaus
KF
Stein
Colleen
C
Corte
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000523:psychology*; D001828:Body Image; D001835:Body Weight; D052018:Bulimia Nervosa / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D019336:Cognitive Science; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007062:Identification, Psychological; D008960:Models, Psychological; D012649:Self Concept