title: The prevalence and impact of trauma history in eating disorder patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Early experiences of traumatic events (TEs) may be associated with subsequent eating disturbance. However, few studies have investigated overall exposure and trauma-type frequency in various types of eating disorders (EDs).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and type of TEs in a nationally representative sample of Swedish ED patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from a database (Stepwise) for specialized ED care were used. Trauma history was assessed as a part of the routine, initial assessment. Participants over the age of 18 with a diagnosed DSM-IV ED were included (N=4,524).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The number of patients having experienced at least one TE was 843 (18.6%), and 204 (24.2%) reported at least one additional trauma. Sexual trauma was the most common form of TE (6.3%). There was no difference in overall traumatic exposure or in type of experienced trauma between the ED diagnostic subgroups (AN, BN, EDNOS, and BED). Overall traumatic exposure was linked to self-reported severity of ED symptoms, more secondary psychosocial impairment, psychiatric comorbidity, and negative self-image.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Trauma history in ED patients merits attention. Results are partly in line with and partly in contrast to previous research. Measurement of trauma history has varied substantially in research on EDs, and this study adds to the indistinct literature on trauma history in ED.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Sciences, Åbo Akademi University, Vaasa, Finland.
authors.forename: Klas
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Backholm
authors.forename: Rasmus
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Isomaa
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Birgegård
keywords: Anorexia nervosa; EDNOS; bulimia nervosa; trauma history measurement; traumatic event