title: Do parental traumatic experiences have a role in the psychological functioning of early adolescents with binge eating disorder?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Few studies have addressed the psychological characteristics of adolescents with binge eating disorder (BED). No research has focused on the psychological functioning of these adolescents' parents or on the prevalence of traumatic experiences among them.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, 202 adolescents aged 11-13 and their parents were recruited from mental health clinics to complete the youth self-report (YSR), the response evaluation measure for youth (REM-71), the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), the Symptom Check-List (SCL-90-R), and the traumatic experience checklist (TEC).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Female adolescents scored higher than males on withdrawal, internalizing problems, dissociation, and somatization subscales. Boys scored higher than girls on externalizing problems and acting out subscales. Maternal depression predicted withdrawal and dissociation in female adolescents. Maternal sexual abuse predicted social problems in males and self-destructive behaviors in females. Paternal physical abuse predicted delinquent behavior and acting out in males.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that parental traumatic experiences play a role in their offspring's mental health; the data also showed different psychopathological configurations in male and female adolescents with BED and their parents, suggesting the development of prevention and treatment polices specific to gender.
authors.affiliation: Uninettuno International Telematic University, Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, 39, Rome, Italy. l.cerniglia@uninettunouniversity.net.
authors.forename: Cerniglia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Luca
authors.affiliation: Sapienza, University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Cimino
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Silvia
authors.affiliation: Sapienza, University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Ballarotto
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Giulia
authors.affiliation: Sapienza, University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Tambelli
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Renata
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D054523:Adult Survivors of Child Abuse; D000069586:Adult Survivors of Child Adverse Events; D056912:Binge-Eating Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D012737:Sex Factors
keywords: Adolescence; Eating disorders; Parental trauma; Psychological functioning