Personality Dimensions in Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder, and Obesity

Overview

Journal Compr Psychiatry

Specialty Psychiatry

Date 2009 Nov 26

PMID 19932823

Citations 17

Authors

Carol B Peterson

Paul Thuras

Diann M Ackard

James E Mitchell

Kelly Berg

Nora Sandager

Stephen A Wonderlich

Melissa W Pederson

Scott J Crow

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this investigation was to examine differences in personality dimensions among individuals with bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, non-binge eating obesity, and a normal-weight comparison group as well as to determine the extent to which these differences were independent of self-reported depressive symptoms.

Method: Personality dimensions were assessed using the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire in 36 patients with bulimia nervosa, 54 patients with binge eating disorder, 30 obese individuals who did not binge eat, and 77 normal-weight comparison participants.

Results: Participants with bulimia nervosa reported higher scores on measures of stress reaction and negative emotionality compared to the other 3 groups and lower well-being scores compared to the normal-weight comparison and the obese samples. Patients with binge eating disorder scored lower on well-being and higher on harm avoidance than the normal-weight comparison group. In addition, the bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder groups scored lower than the normal-weight group on positive emotionality. When personality dimensions were reanalyzed using depression as a covariate, only stress reaction remained higher in the bulimia nervosa group compared to the other 3 groups and harm avoidance remained higher in the binge eating disorder than the normal-weight comparison group.

Conclusions: The higher levels of stress reaction in the bulimia nervosa sample and harm avoidance in the binge eating disorder sample after controlling for depression indicate that these personality dimensions are potentially important in the etiology, maintenance, and treatment of these eating disorders. Although the extent to which observed group differences in well-being, positive emotionality, and negative emotionality reflect personality traits, mood disorders, or both, is unclear, these features clearly warrant further examination in understanding and treating bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder.

Citing Articles

From Childhood Interpersonal Trauma to Binge Eating in Adults: Unraveling the Role of Personality and Maladaptive Regulation.

Bellehumeur-Bechamp L, Legendre M, Begin C Nutrients. 2025; 16(24.

PMID: 39771047 PMC: 11676048. DOI: 10.3390/nu16244427.

The Impact of High Levels of Compensatory Exercise on Treatment Outcomes in Threshold and Subthreshold Bulimia Nervosa.

Camacho-Barcia L, Sanchez I, Ibanez-Caparros A, Ohsako N, Granero R, Artero C Nutrients. 2024; 16(14).

PMID: 39064779 PMC: 11279786. DOI: 10.3390/nu16142337.

Many Facets of Eating Disorders: Profiling Key Psychological Features of Anorexia Nervosa and Binge Eating Disorder.

Rossi A, Pietrabissa G, Tagliagambe A, Scuderi A, Montecchiani L, Castelnuovo G Behav Sci (Basel). 2023; 13(3).

PMID: 36975300 PMC: 10045239. DOI: 10.3390/bs13030276.

Involvement of Ghrelin Dynamics in Stress-Induced Eating Disorder: Effects of Sex and Aging.

Yamada C Int J Mol Sci. 2021; 22(21).

PMID: 34769125 PMC: 8583769. DOI: 10.3390/ijms222111695.

Lifetime Weight Course as a Phenotypic Marker of Severity and Therapeutic Response in Patients with Eating Disorders.

Aguera Z, Vintro-Alcaraz C, Baenas I, Granero R, Sanchez I, Sanchez-Gonzalez J Nutrients. 2021; 13(6).

PMID: 34199265 PMC: 8231878. DOI: 10.3390/nu13062034.

References

Patrick C, Curtin J, Tellegen A . Development and validation of a brief form of the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire. Psychol Assess. 2002; 14(2):150-63. DOI: 10.1037//1040-3590.14.2.150. View

Cassin S, von Ranson K . Personality and eating disorders: a decade in review. Clin Psychol Rev. 2005; 25(7):895-916. DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2005.04.012. View

Klump K, McGue M, Iacono W . Genetic relationships between personality and eating attitudes and behaviors. J Abnorm Psychol. 2002; 111(2):380-9. DOI: 10.1037//0021-843x.111.2.380. View

Diaz-Marsa M, Carrasco J, Saiz J . A study of temperament and personality in anorexia and bulimia nervosa. J Pers Disord. 2001; 14(4):352-9. DOI: 10.1521/pedi.2000.14.4.352. View

Rossiter E, Agras W, Telch C, Schneider J . Cluster B personality disorder characteristics predict outcome in the treatment of bulimia nervosa. Int J Eat Disord. 1993; 13(4):349-57. DOI: 10.1002/1098-108x(199305)13:4<349::aid-eat2260130403>3.0.co;2-c. View

Krueger R, Skodol A, Livesley W, Shrout P, Huang Y . Synthesizing dimensional and categorical approaches to personality disorders: refining the research agenda for DSM-V Axis II. Int J Methods Psychiatr Res. 2007; 16 Suppl 1:S65-73. PMC: 6879081. DOI: 10.1002/mpr.212. View

Peterson C, Wimmer S, Ackard D, Crosby R, Cavanagh L, Engbloom S . Changes in body image during cognitive-behavioral treatment in women with bulimia nervosa. Body Image. 2007; 1(2):139-53. DOI: 10.1016/S1740-1445(03)00022-6. View

Pryor T, Wiederman M . Measurement of nonclinical personality characteristics of women with anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa. J Pers Assess. 1996; 67(2):414-21. DOI: 10.1207/s15327752jpa6702_14. View

Peterson C, Mitchell J, Engbloom S, Nugent S, Pederson Mussell M, Crow S . Self-help versus therapist-led group cognitive-behavioral treatment of binge eating disorder at follow-up. Int J Eat Disord. 2001; 30(4):363-74. DOI: 10.1002/eat.1098. View

10.

Mitchell J, Pyle R, Pomeroy C, Zollman M, Crosby R, Seim H . Cognitive-behavioral group psychotherapy of bulimia nervosa: importance of logistical variables. Int J Eat Disord. 1993; 14(3):277-87. DOI: 10.1002/1098-108x(199311)14:3<277::aid-eat2260140306>3.0.co;2-8. View

11.

BERKSON J . Limitations of the application of fourfold table analysis to hospital data. Biometrics. 2010; 2(3):47-53. View

12.

Trull T, Tragesser S, Solhan M, Schwartz-Mette R . Dimensional models of personality disorder: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition and beyond. Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2006; 20(1):52-6. DOI: 10.1097/YCO.0b013e328010c838. View

13.

Beck A, Ward C, Mendelson M, Mock J, ERBAUGH J . An inventory for measuring depression. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1961; 4:561-71. DOI: 10.1001/archpsyc.1961.01710120031004. View

14.

Wilfley D, Friedman M, Dounchis J, Stein R, Welch R, Ball S . Comorbid psychopathology in binge eating disorder: relation to eating disorder severity at baseline and following treatment. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2000; 68(4):641-9. View

15.

Wonderlich S, Mitchell J . The role of personality in the onset of eating disorders and treatment implications. Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2001; 24(2):249-58. DOI: 10.1016/s0193-953x(05)70221-5. View

16.

Grilo C . Recent research of relationships among eating disorders and personality disorders. Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2002; 4(1):18-24. DOI: 10.1007/s11920-002-0007-8. View

17.

Lilenfeld L, Stein D, Bulik C, Strober M, Plotnicov K, Pollice C . Personality traits among currently eating disordered, recovered and never ill first-degree female relatives of bulimic and control women. Psychol Med. 2000; 30(6):1399-410. DOI: 10.1017/s0033291799002792. View

18.

Wonderlich S, Mitchell J . Eating disorders and comorbidity: empirical, conceptual, and clinical implications. Psychopharmacol Bull. 1997; 33(3):381-90. View

19.

Harkness A, Tellegen A, Waller N . Differential convergence of self-report and informant data for multidimensional personality questionnaire traits: implications for the construct of negative emotionality. J Pers Assess. 1995; 64(1):185-204. DOI: 10.1207/s15327752jpa6401_13. View

20.

Safer D, Telch C, Agras W . Dialectical behavior therapy for bulimia nervosa. Am J Psychiatry. 2001; 158(4):632-4. DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.158.4.632. View