CHILDHOOD SEXUAL, PHYSICAL, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL ABUSE IN BULIMIA-NERVOSA

Objective: This study sought to determine if rates of childhood sexual , physical, psychological, and multiple abuse (i.e., abuse in more tha n one form) differed between women with a lifetime history of bulimia nervosa and women with no history of eating disorders. Method: Subject s were 80 women, aged 18-35, with a lifetime history of bulimia nervos a (40 women who had recovered for a rear or more and 40 women currentl y suffering from bulimia nervosa) and 40 women who had never had an ea ting disorder or related difficulties. The cohort was obtained primari ly by newspaper advertisement. Subjects participated in structured dia gnostic interviews and completed paper-and-pencil questionnaires relat ed to abusive experiences in childhood. Results: women in the bulimia nervosa group reported higher levels of childhood physical, psychologi cal, and multiple abuse. Contrary to expectation, rates of sexual abus e did not distinguish the groups, except in combination with other for ms of abuse. Conclusions: The higher rates of psychological, physical, and multiple abuse found among women with a lifetime history of bulim ia nervosa than among comparison subjects underscore the importance of examining the full range of possible abusive experiences in women wit h eating disorders, rather than focusing simply on sexual abuse.