Subtyping adolescents with bulimia nervosa.
Cluster analyses of eating disorder patients have yielded a "dietary-depressive" subtype, typified by greater negative affect, and a "dietary" subtype, typified by dietary restraint. This study aimed to replicate these findings in an adolescent sample with bulimia nervosa (BN) from a randomized controlled trial and to examine the validity and reliability of this methodology. In the sample of BN adolescents (N=80), cluster analysis revealed a "dietary-depressive" subtype (37.5%) and a "dietary" subtype (62.5%) using the Beck Depression Inventory, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and Eating Disorder Examination Restraint subscale. The "dietary-depressive" subtype compared to the "dietary" subtype was significantly more likely to: (1) report co-occurring disorders, (2) greater eating and weight concerns, and (3) less vomiting abstinence at post-treatment (all p's<.05). The cluster analysis based on "dietary" and "dietary-depressive" subtypes appeared to have concurrent validity, yielding more distinct groups than subtyping by vomiting frequency. In order to assess the reliability of the subtyping scheme, a larger sample of adolescents with mixed eating and weight disorders in an outpatient eating disorder clinic (N=149) was subtyped, yielding similar subtypes. These results support the validity and reliability of the subtyping strategy in two adolescent samples.
Chen
Eunice Y
EY
Eating and Weight Disorders Program, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Chicago, 5841 S Maryland Ave., MC 3077, Chicago, IL 60637, USA. chen@bsd.uchicago.edu
Le Grange
Daniel
D
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D052018:Bulimia Nervosa / Q000145:classification* / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014839:Vomiting / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology