A PSYCHOLOGICAL SENSE-OF-CONTROL PROFILE OF PATIENTS WITH ANOREXIA-NERVOSA AND BULIMIA-NERVOSA

To investigate control and self-control issues for patients with eatin g disorders, 10 individuals diagnosed with anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa were compared to two sex-matched groups of 9 and 50 adults on the Shapiro Control Inventory. Analysis of variance and subsequent pl anned comparisons showed significant differences indicative of patholo gy between the eating-disordered group and one or both comparison grou ps on the general domain sense of control scale and the positive sense of control scale. Three of the four mode scales and the domain-specif ic sense of control scale were also in the expected direction. Several clinically relevant individual items also supported this trend. The d iscussion notes the clinical importance of refining how control is mea sured for eating-disordered populations.