title: Identity Processes and Statuses in Patients with and without Eating Disorders.
abstract: Problems with identity formation are associated with a range of psychiatric disorders. Yet, the mechanisms underlying such problems and how they are refined into specific diagnostic presentations require further investigation. The present study investigated identity processes among 123 women with eating disorders (ED) and age-matched community controls via a newly developed identity model. Several clinical outcome variables were assessed. Patients with ED scored lower on committing to and identifying with identity-related choices and scored higher on maladaptive or ruminative exploration, identity diffusion and identity disorder. They also experienced less identity achievement as compared with controls. The identity disorder status was associated with the highest scores on anxiety, depression, borderline personality disorder symptoms, and non-suicidal self-injury and the lowest scores on need satisfaction. Results indicate that patients with ED experience more identity problems than community controls and those captured by an identity disorder status experience the most problematic psychosocial functioning. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.
authors: Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors: Margaux
authors: M
authors: Verschueren
authors: Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors: Koen
authors: K
authors: Luyckx
authors: Department of Psychology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
authors: Erin A
authors: EA
authors: Kaufman
authors: Department of Developmental, Social, and Personality Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors: Maarten
authors: M
authors: Vansteenkiste
authors: Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Academic Center for Nursing and Midwifery, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.|Institute of Health and Care Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors: Philip
authors: P
authors: Moons
authors: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (CAPRI), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.|Psychiatrisch Ziekenhuis Duffel, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors: Ellen
authors: E
authors: Sleuwaegen
authors: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (CAPRI), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.|Psychiatrisch Ziekenhuis Duffel, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors: Ann
authors: A
authors: Berens
authors: Eating Disorders Unit, Psychiatric Hospital Alexianen Tienen, Belgium.
authors: Katrien
authors: K
authors: Schoevaerts
authors: Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.|Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (CAPRI), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors: Laurence
authors: L
authors: Claes
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D001883:Borderline Personality Disorder / Q000523:psychology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007063:Identity Crisis; D008875:Middle Aged; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D012649:Self Concept; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: eating disorders; identity; identity disorder; psychosocial development; ruminative exploration