Changes in defensiveness and in affective distress following inpatient treatment of eating disorders: Rorschach comprehensive system and self-report measures.
Conceptualizing eating disorders (EDs) as forming a coping mechanism against facing psychic pain, in this study, we examined the contribution of weight stabilization and ED behaviors to psychological outcomes of affective distress, defensiveness, and contact with inner/external reality among 2 subgroups of adolescent inpatients with (a) "restricting type" anorexia (AN-R) and (b) bingeing/purging type EDs (B/P). We administered Rorschach Comprehensive System (CS; Exner, 2003) and self-report measures at acute admission and on discharge. Data indicated that in both subgroups, stabilization of weight and disordered eating behaviors was accompanied by reduced explicit (self-reported) affective distress, yet by elevated implicit affective distress (D, SumShd). Subgroups' different Rorschach change trends indicated different dynamic processes in defensive style and contact with inner/external reality.
Rothschild
Lily
L
Safra Children's Hospital, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel. Lilyrot@attglobal.net
Lacoua
Liza
L
Eshel
Yohanan
Y
Stein
Daniel
D
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology*; D010554:Personality Disorders; D012392:Rorschach Test; D012650:Self Disclosure