Relationship between self-soothing, aloneness, and evocative memory in bulimia nervosa

Objective: The relationship between characteristics of self-soothing abilit y, the capacity for evocative memory, and aloneness was investigated in a c linical sample of 50 bulimia nervosa (BN) patients. Method: Individuals mee ting DSM-III-R criteria for BN who participated in a randomized trial of gu ided imagery completed measures of Soothing Receptivity and a modified vers ion of the UCLA-Loneliness scale, resulting in the Aloneness/Evocative Memo ry Scale. Results: A lower level of soothing receptivity (indicating a decr eased capacity for self-soothing) was correlated with a decreased capacity for evocative memory. A lower level of soothing receptivity and decreased c apacity for evocative memory were associated with a greater experience of a loneness. Discussion: Results suggest the need for a more comprehensive und erstanding of the role of affect regulation and the experience of aloneness in BN and the need to develop treatments to specifically address these fea tures of the illness. (C) 2000 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.