BINGE-EATING DISORDER WITH AND WITHOUT A HISTORY OF PURGING SYMPTOMS

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether a history of purging behaviors in individuals with binge eating disorder (BED) is associated with increased comorbid psychopathology, dietary restrai nt, severity of eating pathology, and attitudinal disturbance in self- esteem and body image. Method: Sixty-three women meeting DSM-IV criter ia for BED who were participating in a psychotherapy treatment study w ere subclassified according to whether they reported a history of purg ing behavior using self-induced vomiting or laxatives (HP; N = 24) or no such history (NHP; N = 39). The two groups were compared on the fol lowing variables: DSM-IV Axis I Lifetime diagnoses, Hamilton Depressio n Rating Scale, Body Shape Questionnaire, Three Factor Eating Question naire, Binge Eating Scale, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Result s: Data analyses revealed no significant differences between the two B ED subgroups on any of the measures. Discussion: These findings indica te that a history of purging behavior in BED is not associated with in creased rates of comorbid psychopathology, severity of eating problems , dietary restraint, or attitudinal disturbance. Purging history does not appear to be a clinically meaningful variable with which to subcla ssify individuals with BED. (C) 1998 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.