Sexual abuse in eating disorder subtypes and control women: the role of comorbid substance dependence in bulimia nervosa.

OBJECTIVE

The relationship between sexual abuse and eating disorders remains uncertain. Recent data have raised the possibility of differential rates of sexual abuse among subtypes of eating disorders.

METHODS

We studied women with three subtypes of eating disorders: (1) 26 anorexia nervosa subjects (AN); (2) 20 bulimia nervosa subjects with comorbid substance dependence (BN + SDD); and (3) 27 bulimia nervosa subjects without substance dependence (BN - SDD). We compared women with these eating disorder subtypes to 44 control women (CW). Sexual abuse rates and diagnoses were assessed through direct structured interviews.

RESULTS

We found an order effect for sexual abuse which was most common (65%) in BN + SDD subjects, followed by a rate of 37% in BN - SDD subjects and 23% in AN subjects. Subjects of all eating disorder subtypes had significantly higher rates of sexual abuse compared to a rate of 7% in CW subjects.

DISCUSSION: Women with BN + SDD had the highest frequency and the most severe history of sexual abuse. However, the causal relationship between eating disorders and sexual abuse remains to be elucidated.