Dissociation, comorbidity of dissociative disorders, and childhood abuse in a community sample of women with current and past bulimia

Dissociation and childhood sexual abuse were examined in a community sample of current bulimics (N=47), past bulimics (N=29), and non-bulimic controls (N=37). All respondents completed questionnaires requesting information re lating to bulimia, dissociation, and incidence and severity of childhood se xual abuse. Participants scoring high on the measure of dissociation (N=21) were further assessed with a structured clinical interview to determine th e proportion who would fulfill the formal criteria for a DSM-IV dissociativ e disorder. Results indicated that dissociation was highest among current b ulimics, and that past bulimics had lower levels of dissociation than curre nt bulimics (although higher than non-bulimic controls). However, there was no association between level of dissociation and incidence of reported chi ldhood Sexual abuse. In addition, the incidence of childhood sexual abuse w as no higher among bulimics than among the general population - although th e severity of the abuse was reported to have been higher. The severity of s elf-reported childhood sexual abuse was also found to be higher among curre nt bulimics than among past bulimics. Comorbidity of DSM-IV dissociative di sorders among current bulimics was found to be 10%.