Parental psychopathology as a predictor of long-term outcome in bulimia nervosa patients.
This paper sought to examine parental variables as predictors of long-term outcome in women with bulimia nervosa (BN). Participants were 94 treatment-seeking women with BN who were assessed at baseline, treatment end, and at follow-up (M=10.13 years). Participants reported rates of psychopathology and obesity in their mothers and fathers at baseline. The most frequently reported parental psychopathology was substance abuse in fathers. Chi-square analyses indicated that substance abuse in fathers was associated with poor treatment-end outcome in BN participants. Depression in mothers was associated with poor outcome at long-term follow-up, and obesity in mothers was associated with better outcome at long-term follow-up. A logistic regression analysis found that lifetime mood disorder in participants and severe depression in mothers were independent predictors of bulimic symptoms at long-term follow-up. The association between maternal severe depression and long-term outcome in BN suggests that specific parental variables may indicate longer course of BN.
Arikian
Aimee
A
Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. ariki002@umn.edu
Keel
Pamela K
PK
Miller
Kathryn B
KB
Thuras
Paul
P
Mitchell
James E
JE
Crow
Scott J
SJ
D000328:Adult; D052018:Bulimia Nervosa / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors