Self-regulatory disturbances in eating disorders

Abstract

The hypothesis that eating‐disordered patients utilize their bodies as transitional objects is examined, but the evidence does not support this proposition. Instead, these patients reveal a deficit in transitional object relatedness. It is found that these patients have severe deficits in self‐organization and self‐regulation. Much of the symptomology such as starvation, hinging, vomiting, and hyperactivity is better understood as desperate measures to drown out states of overstimulation and/or fragmentation.

Structural analysis of parent–child relationships in eating disorders.

“…The bulimics, in turn, deprive and mistreat themselves and their parents as well. In a general sense, these findings offer some preliminary support for the psychoanalytic hypothesis which asserts that bulimics turn to food as an externalized substitute for more familial and intrapsychic sources of nurturance, empathy, and affective regulation (Goodsitt, 1983; Sugarman & Kurash, 1982). Such deficits appear to be ongoing and interpersonal in nature and not limited exclusively to early developmental and intrapsychic processes (see Humphrey, 1986).…”

Structural analysis of parent–child relationships in eating disorders.

“…The bulimics, in turn, deprive and mistreat themselves and their parents as well. In a general sense, these findings offer some preliminary support for the psychoanalytic hypothesis which asserts that bulimics turn to food as an externalized substitute for more familial and intrapsychic sources of nurturance, empathy, and affective regulation (Goodsitt, 1983; Sugarman & Kurash, 1982). Such deficits appear to be ongoing and interpersonal in nature and not limited exclusively to early developmental and intrapsychic processes (see Humphrey, 1986).…”

Brief report: Maltreatment in childhood and body concerns in adulthood

“…Given the centrality of body image in identity formation, and the cultural prominence of leanness to both genders, it is perhaps not surprising that childhood maltreatment in boys would contribute to body dissatisfaction later in life and promote appearance-based coping through the pursuit of thinness (Heywood and McCabe, 2006). Control of body weight may also be an attempt by male victims of abuse/neglect to cope with stress (Bennett and Cooper, 1999), improve self-esteem and reduce perceived shame (Kearney-Cooke and Striegel-Moore, 1994), regulate affect (Goodsitt, 1983) and (although not yet confirmed with boys) to postpone the onset of visible signs of sexual maturity in order to avoid unwanted sexual advances from abusers (Rorty and Yager, 1996). The development of dissociative defence mechanisms by victims of abuse/neglect might also contribute to symptoms of disordered eating in men such as bingeing and purging (Everill and Waller, 1995).…”

Characteristics of self‐regulation in adolescent patients with anorexia nervosa

“…Furthermore, duration of illness, BMI, oral control, perfectionism, and maturity fears did not correlate higher than 0.4 with either of the self-regulation scales. It has been emphasized by Goodsitt (1983) that stimulatory behaviour-such as dieting, binging, vomiting, and hyperactivity-in AN can be seen as misguided attempts to organize affects and internal states such as tension meaningfully. The correlations found between the scales of factor I and the overall sum of the EAT and the EDI may point to that.…”

Structural analysis of parent–child relationships in eating disorders.

“…The bulimics, in turn, deprive and mistreat themselves and their parents as well. In a general sense, these findings offer some preliminary support for the psychoanalytic hypothesis which asserts that bulimics turn to food as an externalized substitute for more familial and intrapsychic sources of nurturance, empathy, and affective regulation (Goodsitt, 1983; Sugarman & Kurash, 1982). Such deficits appear to be ongoing and interpersonal in nature and not limited exclusively to early developmental and intrapsychic processes (see Humphrey, 1986).…”

Brief report: Maltreatment in childhood and body concerns in adulthood

“…Given the centrality of body image in identity formation, and the cultural prominence of leanness to both genders, it is perhaps not surprising that childhood maltreatment in boys would contribute to body dissatisfaction later in life and promote appearance-based coping through the pursuit of thinness (Heywood and McCabe, 2006). Control of body weight may also be an attempt by male victims of abuse/neglect to cope with stress (Bennett and Cooper, 1999), improve self-esteem and reduce perceived shame (Kearney-Cooke and Striegel-Moore, 1994), regulate affect (Goodsitt, 1983) and (although not yet confirmed with boys) to postpone the onset of visible signs of sexual maturity in order to avoid unwanted sexual advances from abusers (Rorty and Yager, 1996). The development of dissociative defence mechanisms by victims of abuse/neglect might also contribute to symptoms of disordered eating in men such as bingeing and purging (Everill and Waller, 1995).…”

Characteristics of self‐regulation in adolescent patients with anorexia nervosa

“…Furthermore, duration of illness, BMI, oral control, perfectionism, and maturity fears did not correlate higher than 0.4 with either of the self-regulation scales. It has been emphasized by Goodsitt (1983) that stimulatory behaviour-such as dieting, binging, vomiting, and hyperactivity-in AN can be seen as misguided attempts to organize affects and internal states such as tension meaningfully. The correlations found between the scales of factor I and the overall sum of the EAT and the EDI may point to that.…”

Structural analysis of parent–child relationships in eating disorders.

“…The bulimics, in turn, deprive and mistreat themselves and their parents as well. In a general sense, these findings offer some preliminary support for the psychoanalytic hypothesis which asserts that bulimics turn to food as an externalized substitute for more familial and intrapsychic sources of nurturance, empathy, and affective regulation (Goodsitt, 1983; Sugarman & Kurash, 1982). Such deficits appear to be ongoing and interpersonal in nature and not limited exclusively to early developmental and intrapsychic processes (see Humphrey, 1986).…”

Brief report: Maltreatment in childhood and body concerns in adulthood

“…Given the centrality of body image in identity formation, and the cultural prominence of leanness to both genders, it is perhaps not surprising that childhood maltreatment in boys would contribute to body dissatisfaction later in life and promote appearance-based coping through the pursuit of thinness (Heywood and McCabe, 2006). Control of body weight may also be an attempt by male victims of abuse/neglect to cope with stress (Bennett and Cooper, 1999), improve self-esteem and reduce perceived shame (Kearney-Cooke and Striegel-Moore, 1994), regulate affect (Goodsitt, 1983) and (although not yet confirmed with boys) to postpone the onset of visible signs of sexual maturity in order to avoid unwanted sexual advances from abusers (Rorty and Yager, 1996). The development of dissociative defence mechanisms by victims of abuse/neglect might also contribute to symptoms of disordered eating in men such as bingeing and purging (Everill and Waller, 1995).…”

Characteristics of self‐regulation in adolescent patients with anorexia nervosa

“…Furthermore, duration of illness, BMI, oral control, perfectionism, and maturity fears did not correlate higher than 0.4 with either of the self-regulation scales. It has been emphasized by Goodsitt (1983) that stimulatory behaviour-such as dieting, binging, vomiting, and hyperactivity-in AN can be seen as misguided attempts to organize affects and internal states such as tension meaningfully. The correlations found between the scales of factor I and the overall sum of the EAT and the EDI may point to that.…”