Eating-related concerns, mood, and personality traits in recovered bulimia nervosa subjects: a replication study.

OBJECTIVE

Limited data suggest that eating-related concerns and behaviors, disturbances in mood, and altered temperament persist following recovery from bulimia nervosa (BN).

METHOD: In order to replicate and extend such findings, 11 women who were long-term recovered from BN (>1 year with no binging, purging, or restricting behaviors, normal weight, and regular menstrual cycles) were compared with 15 healthy volunteer women on the Eating Disorders Invertory-2 (EDI-2), the Beck Depression Inventory, the State Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire (MPQ).

RESULTS

Compared with the control women, the recovered BN women showed elevated levels of the EDI-2 subscales of Drive for Thinness, Body Dissatisfaction, Ineffectiveness, Perfectionism, and Social Insecurity, greater depression and anxiety, elevated levels of the MPQ Stress Reaction dimension and the higher-order factor of Negative Emotionality, and lower levels of the MPQ Well Being and Closeness dimensions.

DISCUSSION: Core eating and weight-related concerns, dysphoric affect, social discomfort, and personality traits indicative of perfectionism persist following long-term recovery from BN.