CHILDHOOD SEXUAL ABUSE IN ANOREXIA-NERVOSA AND BULIMIA-NERVOSA - A PILOT-STUDY

Objectives: The aims of this pilot study were to determine the feasibi lity and scientific merit of coordinating a large-scale investigation of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) in outpatient-eating disordered women and to evaluate the usefulness and potential adverse effects of a semi structured trauma interview. Method: The sample was randomly selected from subjects participating in a naturalistic longitudinal study of an orexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN). The refusal rate was 26% . Twenty women with DSM-III-R AN/BN were assessed with the traumatic a ntecedents interview (TAI); a brief semistructured follow-up interview was administered over the telephone 3 to 8 weeks after the first inte rview. Subjects also completed the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES ). Results: Thirteen subjects (65%) reported CSA, and those with more comorbidity reported CSA more frequently. Subjects with a history of C SA had significantly higher scores on the DES. Minimal adverse consequ ences to the TAI were noted. Conclusions: The high compliance rate, hi gh prevalence of CSA, and high DES scores among our pilot sample suppo rt the merit of studying CSA in a larger sample.