Are Oral, Obsessive, and Hysterical Personality Traits Related to Disturbed Eating Patterns? A General Population Study of 6,313 Men and Women

Abstract

In this study, we explored 3 psychodynamically defined personality traits as predictors of eating disturbances among men and women in the general population. The Basic Character Inventory (Torgersen, 1980) was used to measure oral, obsessive, and hysteria traits along with the Eating Disturbance Scale (Rosenvinge et al., 2001). Oral personality factors were the primary predictors of eating disturbances in both genders-both men and women with eating disturbances tended to score highly on measures of emotional instability, self-doubt, compliance, and sensitivity. In women, the presence of oral personality factors in addition to the absence of the obsessive factor Parsimony accounted for 16% of the variance in eating disturbances. In men, oral personality factors in addition to the presence of the hysterical factor Imagination accounted for 13% of the variance in eating disturbances. This last finding suggests that, in addition to oral characteristics, men with eating disturbances may exhibit dissociative traits and imaginative absorption.

Exploring the interplay between personality dimensions: A comparison of the typological and the dimensional approach in stress research

“…The instrument was modified by Torgersen in 1980 and validated in Norwegian populations (Lazare et al, 1966;Torgersen, 1980a). This instrument was chosen has given meaningful results in earlier clinical and non-clinical studies (Torgersen, 1980b;Torgersen, 1980a;Alnaes & Torgersen, 1990;Ravndal & Vaglum, 1991;Kaldestad, 1994;Perry et al, 2002;Neilands et al, 2008). It has also been used in previous studies on Norwegian medical students and physicians (Aasland et al, 1997;Tyssen et al, 2000;Tyssen et al, 2001b;Tyssen et al, 2005).…”

Towards a Comprehensive Model of Recovery

“…These factors comprise a negative self-image, compulsivity and perfectionism, as well as adverse life events like adult abuse, poor social network, a critical family climate and effects of negative comments on body weight and composition, notably from parents or other adults (Fairburn et al, 1997;1998;. Risk is related to the presence of premorbid overweight, addictive disorder, anxiety disorder or a depressive disorder as well as developmental risk factors related to bonding and attachment (Perry et al, 2002;2008), the resolving of which represented in terms of symptom reduction. Hence, in a recovery perspective such findings serve as an argument for including improvement of psychological issues beyond symptom reduction as well as improvement of the quality of close interpersonal relations and social functioning.…”