title: Etiological role of childhood emotional trauma and neglect in adolescent anorexia nervosa: a cross-sectional questionnaire analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Most studies on the relationship between childhood trauma and anorexia nervosa (AN) have focused on the role of childhood sexual and physical trauma in adult patients. Little is known about the role of emotional trauma and eating disorders. The aim of the present study was to examine childhood sexual, physical, and emotional traumatization in adolescents with anorexia nervosa restricting type (AN-R) in comparison to those with anorexia nervosa binge-eating/purging type (AN-BP) and a healthy control group.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample included 50 patients with AN-R (mean age = 15.8 ± 1.6 years), 27 with AN-BP (mean age = 16.1 ± 1.1 years), and 44 healthy female control participants (mean age = 15.7 ± 1.3 years). AN diagnosis was confirmed by the Structured Inventory for Anorexic and Bulimic Syndromes (SIAB-EX). Childhood sexual, physical, and emotional traumatization was assessed by a self-report questionnaire (Childhood Trauma Questionnaire; CTQ).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results indicated higher rates of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse and physical and emotional neglect in patients with AN-BP than in patients with AN-R and healthy control participants. No significant differences in childhood traumatization were found between patients with AN-R and control participants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results underline the importance of detecting the full range of possible childhood traumatic experiences in adolescents with AN, rather than focusing simply on childhood sexual traumatization. Sexual, physical, and emotional childhood traumatization are particularly important in the history of adolescent patients with AN-BP, in contrast to patients with AN-R, and should be screened for in the diagnosis and therapy of eating disorders.
authors: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany. charlotte.jaite@charite.de
authors: Charlotte
authors: C
authors: Jaite
authors: Nora
authors: N
authors: Schneider
authors: Anja
authors: A
authors: Hilbert
authors: Ernst
authors: E
authors: Pfeiffer
authors: Ulrike
authors: U
authors: Lehmkuhl
authors: Harriet
authors: H
authors: Salbach-Andrae
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology*; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013315:Stress, Psychological