Does avoidant personality disorder impact on the outcome of treatment for bulimia nervosa?
OBJECTIVE
To examine the impact of avoidant personality disorder (AVPD) on bulimia nervosa (BN) treatment outcome over 3 years.


METHODS
Women with BN were participating in a randomized treatment trial. The sample was split into: AVPD (n = 37), other PD (n = 37), and no PD (n = 60). Eating disorder symptomatology, depressive symptoms and psychosocial functioning were examined at pretreatment and follow-up. Multiple regression was conducted to control for high axis I comorbidity.


RESULTS
There were no significant differences across the groups at pretreatment or follow-up on eating disorder symptoms. AVPD had worse depressive symptoms and psychosocial functioning at pretreatment which continued 3 years post-treatment. Multiple regression analyses revealed that the presence of any lifetime mood disorder contributed to these significant results.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest AVPD is not a significant predictor of BN outcome. However, AVPD is associated with poorer psychiatric symptoms although much of this variance appears to be attributable to the lifetime presence of any mood disorder.
Rowe
Sarah L
SL
Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand. sarah.rowe@otago.ac.nz
Jordan
Jennifer
J
McIntosh
Virginia V W
VV
Carter
Frances A
FA
Frampton
Chris
C
Bulik
Cynthia M
CM
Joyce
Peter R
PR
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D052018:Bulimia Nervosa / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D012044:Regression Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome