Severity of traumatic events in patients with eating disorders. A case-control study

Abstract

Introduction

A high proportion of individuals with eating disorders (EDs) report childhood abuse and neglect. The prevalence of traumatic events in ED patients has been extensively investigated; less is known about their self-perceived–and reported–severity. Objectives/Aims: We aimed to assess in ED patients vs. healthy controls the severity, i.e., duration, perpetrator, and subjective impact, of sexual, physical, and emotional traumas suffered from 0 to 18 years, paying particular attention to emotional neglect.

Methods

Fifty-seven consecutive DSM-V ED patients (91.2% females; age range: 18–42 years) were recruited at the Psychiatric Outpatient Clinic of our University Hospital. Ninety controls (78.9% females; age range: 20–39 years) were also recruited. Among ED patients, 43.9% had restrictive anorexia nervosa (AN), 29.8% binge/purging AN, 26.3% bulimia nervosa. Individuals completed the Eating Disorder Inventory-2 (EDI-2) and the Traumatic Experiences Checklist (TEC).

Results

The severity of all traumatic events, according to the TEC total score, was significantly higher in ED patients than controls (P < 0.001). Moreover, ED patients showed significantly higher scores with regard to emotional neglect (P < 0.001) and emotional abuse (P < 0.001). The same can be said for physical traumas (P < 0.01) and physical abuse (P < 0.01), although with a lower significance, and for sexual abuse (P < 0.05), with an even lower significance. No difference in the severity of sexual harassment was found.

Conclusions

All types of traumas, especially neglect, can occur in ED patients and controls, however they are reported as more severe by ED patients.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.