PATTERNS OF ADAPTATION TO CONFLICT IN BULIMIA AND TEMPOROMANDIBULAR-JOINT DISORDER

Two age- and education-matched groups of 45 women, respectively, with the diagnoses of Bulimia and of Temporo-mandibular Joint Disorder, wer e administered the Serial Color-Word Test, to assess differences in th e pattern of adaptation to conflict (the latter being represented by t he Stroop task). Three types of norms (clinical, nonclinical and based on reading times) and the functions derived from a previous cluster a nalysis were employed. Comparisons utilizing clinical norms and cluste r analytical functions did not significantly differentiate between gro ups. According to both nonclinical norms and norms based on reading ti mes, the two clinical groups were significantly different concerning t he distribution of adaptation patterns. Bulimic patients resorted more often to the Dissociative pattern (high nonlinear change of reading t imes), while temporomandibular patients were characterized by the Cumu lative pattern (high linear change) and, secondarily, by the Cumulativ e-Dissociative pattern (high linear and nonlinear change). Intergroup differences were more marked when employing the new norms based on rea ding times.