title: Attachment in eating-disordered outpatients with and without borderline personality disorder.
abstract: This study aims at examining the attachment states of mind in 50 female outpatients with eating disorders compared with 50 matched control participants using the Adult Attachment Interview. Moreover, the differences in attachment states of mind among eating-disordered women with and without borderline personality disorders' diagnosis were explored. The results showed an over-representation of insecure-dismissing and unresolved states of mind in clinical group compared to controls. Patients with both diagnosis showed higher scores on involving anger and unresolved loss compared with those with only eating disorder. Implications for further research and clinical practice are discussed.
authors.affiliation: University of Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Cecilia Serena
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Pace
authors.affiliation: University of Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Guiducci
authors.affiliation: University of Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Donatella
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cavanna
mesh_terms: D000786:Anger; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D001883:Borderline Personality Disorder / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D002032:Bulimia / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009769:Object Attachment; D010045:Outpatients / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: anorexia; attachment; borderline; bulimia; eating disorders