PSYCHIATRIC COMORBIDITY IN WOMEN WITH BINGE-EATING DISORDER - PREVALENCE RATES FROM A NON-TREATMENT-SEEKING SAMPLE

This study provides estimates of comorbid psychiatric disorders in wom en with binge eating disorder (BED). Sixty-one BED and 60 control part icipants, who were recruited from the community, completed the Structu red Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R Axis I and Axis II disorders and self-report measures of eating and general psychiatric symptomatology. Regarding psychiatric diagnoses, women with BED had higher lifetime p revalence rates for major depression, any Axis I disorder, and any Axi s II disorder relative to controls. BED women also evidenced greater e ating and psychiatric symptomatology than did controls. Results sugges t that the prevalence of comorbid psychiatric disorders in BED may be lower than previously indicated by clinical studies.