Five bulimic women. MMPI, Rorschach, and TAT characteristics

Abstract

Five women between the ages of 21 and 46, obtaining high scores on the bulimic factor subset of the Eating Attitudes Test, were given comprehensive psychological test batteries. Their MMPI, Rorschach, and TAT protocols were analyzed for evidence of a bulimic pattern. Although a tendency to withdraw from meaningful relationships, difficulty with impulse control, and accessibility to parental pressure with diminished separation‐fostering aggression were typical implications of the test results, the protocols were more conspicuous for their heterogeneity than for their homogeneity on nearly all dimensions. It is suggested that psychological test data, particularly from projective measures, can increase our understanding of bulimia and help to provide answers to persistent questions about this puzzling, although widespread, syndrome.

Rorschach Assessment of Purging and Nonpurging Bulimics

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Rorschach Assessment of Purging and Nonpurging Bulimics

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The Evaluation of a Measurement Model for the Physical Appearance State and Trait Anxiety Scale in a Sample of Young Adult Women of Mexican Descent

“…The assessment of anxiety specific to body image may be a useful tool in the diagnosis of eating disorders (Hatsumaki, Owen, Pyle, & Mitchell, 1982;Kolotkin, Revis, Kirkley, & Janick, 1987). Many researchers have used the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) to assess personality characteristics of individuals with eating disorders (Hatsukami et al, 1982;Wallach & Lowenkopf, 1984). One of the subscales on the MMPI is the Psychasthenia (Pt) scale, which measures anxiety, preoccupation with difficulty, and feelings of alienation from others (Kolotkin et al, 1987).…”

Toward an understanding of risk factors for bulimia.

“…Furthermore, bulimic women vary greatly regarding the nature and extent of associated psychopathology. Some bulimic women do not exhibit any other psychiatric symptoms aside from those subsumed under the diagnosis ofbulimia (Johnson, Stuckey, Lewis, & Schwartz, 1982), whereas others show multiple types of psychopathology (Garner & Garfinkel, 1985;Garner, Garfinkel, & O'Shaughnessy, 1985;Hudson, Laffer, & Pope, 1982;Hudson, Pope, & Jonas, 1984;Lacey, 1982;Wallach & Lowenkopf, 1984). The implications of this heterogeneity for identifying risk factors are crucial.…”

“…Another characteristic of bulimic women that has attracted considerable attention has been the high prevalence of depressive symptoms (Fairburn & Cooper, 1982; Hatsukami, Eckert, Mitchell, & Pyle, 1984; Johnson & Larson, 1982; Johnson et al, 1982; Katzman & Wolchik, 1984; Mitchell et al, 1985; Norman & Herzog, 1983; Pyle, Mitchell, & Eckert, 1981; Russell, 1979; Wallach & Lowenkopf, 1984; Walsh et al, 1985; Williamson et al, 1985; Wolf & Crowther, 1983). Between 35% and 78% of bulimic patients have been reported to satisfy the DSM-III criteria for a diagnosis of affective disorder during the acute stage of illness (Gwirtsman, Roy-Byrne, Yager, & Gerner, 1983; Hatsukami et al, 1984; Herzog, 1982; Hudson et al, 1982; Hudson et al, 1984; Pope, Hudson & Jonas, 1983).…”

Rorschach Assessment of Purging and Nonpurging Bulimics

“……”

“……”

The Evaluation of a Measurement Model for the Physical Appearance State and Trait Anxiety Scale in a Sample of Young Adult Women of Mexican Descent

“…The assessment of anxiety specific to body image may be a useful tool in the diagnosis of eating disorders (Hatsumaki, Owen, Pyle, & Mitchell, 1982;Kolotkin, Revis, Kirkley, & Janick, 1987). Many researchers have used the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) to assess personality characteristics of individuals with eating disorders (Hatsukami et al, 1982;Wallach & Lowenkopf, 1984). One of the subscales on the MMPI is the Psychasthenia (Pt) scale, which measures anxiety, preoccupation with difficulty, and feelings of alienation from others (Kolotkin et al, 1987).…”

Toward an understanding of risk factors for bulimia.

“…Furthermore, bulimic women vary greatly regarding the nature and extent of associated psychopathology. Some bulimic women do not exhibit any other psychiatric symptoms aside from those subsumed under the diagnosis ofbulimia (Johnson, Stuckey, Lewis, & Schwartz, 1982), whereas others show multiple types of psychopathology (Garner & Garfinkel, 1985;Garner, Garfinkel, & O'Shaughnessy, 1985;Hudson, Laffer, & Pope, 1982;Hudson, Pope, & Jonas, 1984;Lacey, 1982;Wallach & Lowenkopf, 1984). The implications of this heterogeneity for identifying risk factors are crucial.…”

“…Another characteristic of bulimic women that has attracted considerable attention has been the high prevalence of depressive symptoms (Fairburn & Cooper, 1982; Hatsukami, Eckert, Mitchell, & Pyle, 1984; Johnson & Larson, 1982; Johnson et al, 1982; Katzman & Wolchik, 1984; Mitchell et al, 1985; Norman & Herzog, 1983; Pyle, Mitchell, & Eckert, 1981; Russell, 1979; Wallach & Lowenkopf, 1984; Walsh et al, 1985; Williamson et al, 1985; Wolf & Crowther, 1983). Between 35% and 78% of bulimic patients have been reported to satisfy the DSM-III criteria for a diagnosis of affective disorder during the acute stage of illness (Gwirtsman, Roy-Byrne, Yager, & Gerner, 1983; Hatsukami et al, 1984; Herzog, 1982; Hudson et al, 1982; Hudson et al, 1984; Pope, Hudson & Jonas, 1983).…”

Rorschach Assessment of Purging and Nonpurging Bulimics

“……”

“……”

The Evaluation of a Measurement Model for the Physical Appearance State and Trait Anxiety Scale in a Sample of Young Adult Women of Mexican Descent

“…The assessment of anxiety specific to body image may be a useful tool in the diagnosis of eating disorders (Hatsumaki, Owen, Pyle, & Mitchell, 1982;Kolotkin, Revis, Kirkley, & Janick, 1987). Many researchers have used the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) to assess personality characteristics of individuals with eating disorders (Hatsukami et al, 1982;Wallach & Lowenkopf, 1984). One of the subscales on the MMPI is the Psychasthenia (Pt) scale, which measures anxiety, preoccupation with difficulty, and feelings of alienation from others (Kolotkin et al, 1987).…”

Toward an understanding of risk factors for bulimia.

“…Furthermore, bulimic women vary greatly regarding the nature and extent of associated psychopathology. Some bulimic women do not exhibit any other psychiatric symptoms aside from those subsumed under the diagnosis ofbulimia (Johnson, Stuckey, Lewis, & Schwartz, 1982), whereas others show multiple types of psychopathology (Garner & Garfinkel, 1985;Garner, Garfinkel, & O'Shaughnessy, 1985;Hudson, Laffer, & Pope, 1982;Hudson, Pope, & Jonas, 1984;Lacey, 1982;Wallach & Lowenkopf, 1984). The implications of this heterogeneity for identifying risk factors are crucial.…”

“…Another characteristic of bulimic women that has attracted considerable attention has been the high prevalence of depressive symptoms (Fairburn & Cooper, 1982; Hatsukami, Eckert, Mitchell, & Pyle, 1984; Johnson & Larson, 1982; Johnson et al, 1982; Katzman & Wolchik, 1984; Mitchell et al, 1985; Norman & Herzog, 1983; Pyle, Mitchell, & Eckert, 1981; Russell, 1979; Wallach & Lowenkopf, 1984; Walsh et al, 1985; Williamson et al, 1985; Wolf & Crowther, 1983). Between 35% and 78% of bulimic patients have been reported to satisfy the DSM-III criteria for a diagnosis of affective disorder during the acute stage of illness (Gwirtsman, Roy-Byrne, Yager, & Gerner, 1983; Hatsukami et al, 1984; Herzog, 1982; Hudson et al, 1982; Hudson et al, 1984; Pope, Hudson & Jonas, 1983).…”