Download Eating Disorders and Trauma

Eating Disorders and
Trauma
Elysia Lopez
Lucy Kahluzkhaya
Eating Disorders Review
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As a quick review, there are 2 types of
Anorexia and Bulimia:
Anorexia (Restricting): less likely to purge or
binge. Less likely to have problems with
psychopathology.
Anorexia (Binge/Purge): More likely to have
regular cycles of binging and purging. Severe
distortion of body image. More severe, more
depression.
Eating Disorders Review
Cont’d.
Bulimia (Purging):
self-induced vomiting,
or laxatives.
 Bulimia (non-purging):
Still binge eating, but
instead of purging,
they compensate by
excessive exercise or
fasting periods.
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Latest Research regarding
Trauma
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The latest research out
there regarding eating
disorders and comorbidity
does not involve mood
disorders (depression)
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but rather trauma
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more specifically PostTraumatic Stress Disorder.
New Research shows that
the effects of trauma can
induce eating disorders in
certain men and women
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And may be more likely
than depression for
comorbidity.
Corstorphine’s Research Done
in 2007
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Multiple impulsive behaviors are common in the eating disorders, and
multi-impulsive patients appear to do more poorly in treatment.
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A study done by Corstorphine addresses the links between reported
childhood trauma and multi-impulsivity in the eating disorders.
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Impulsive behaviors is just what it seems: behavior done on impulse
(compulsively).
examining whether specific types of trauma are predictive of specific
impulsive behaviors in this population.
The sample consisted of 102 individuals who met strict criteria for an
eating disorder, and they were interviewed regarding trauma history and
comorbid impulsive behaviors.
Results: Any reported history of childhood trauma was associated with
a higher number of impulsive behaviors and with the presence of multiimpulsivity.
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Childhood sexual abuse was particularly important, and was associated with
self-cutting, alcohol abuse, and substance abuse (amphetamines, cocaine,
cannabis and 'other substances', including ketamine and benzodiazepines).
Briere’s Research: Completed
July 2007
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Research suggests that
individuals with eating
disorders are more likely to
have been abused or
neglected as children, or to
have been victimized in
adolescence or adulthood.
These experiences, in turn,
are often associated with a
range of psychological
symptoms
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as well as, in some cases,
a more severe or complex
Eating Disorder.
Briere’s Research Findings
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1.
2.
3.
trauma-specific psychological tests were used to:
identify clinically relevant trauma histories in the ED
patient
uncover trauma-relevant symptoms that may
complicate or intensify a given instance of ED.
discuss the clinical implications of a detailed trauma
assessment, including its usefulness in guiding
treatment for ED-trauma patients.
Levitt’s Analyses of Previous
Research
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This Research was conducted in response to Briere’s and
Corstophine’s work mainly
concerned about the interaction between adverse childhood
experiences and eating disorder behaviors.
In the first article, Brewerton (Levitt’s assistant) provides a review
of the comorbidity between eating disorders and trauma, with an
emphasis upon post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Corstorphine discussed the clinical links between emotional
abuse and eating disorders.
In the next article, Sansone discussed the developmental
implications of childhood trauma in relationship to borderline
personality disorder (BPD), which may heighten the subsequent
risk for the development of eating disorder symptomatology.
Levitt Continued…
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Next, Briere reviewed general
and specific psychological
assessments/ tests
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which are relevant to and/or
designed to identify trauma
histories.
In his Treatment Section, Levitt
describes:
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a therapeutic organizational
model based on self-regulation
theory that has been found to
be clinically useful and effective
for working with the complex,
multi-symptomatic eating
disorder patient who has
histories of trauma and/or
abuse.
Moorehead’s Research in
August 2002
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This study investigated early predictors for developing eating
disorders by young adulthood
 in a community sample of women participating in a 22-year
longitudinal study.
Method: Twenty-one women were identified at age 27 with
lifetime full or partial eating disorders.
 These women were compared with 47 women with no history of
eating disorders on predictive factors form three broad domains.
Results: The women with eating disorders had more serious
health problems before age 5 and mother-reported anxietydepression at age 9.
At 15, mothers described them as having more behavior
problems.
Moorehead’s Results Cont’d.
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Before age 15, families of the
eating disorder group had more
histories of depression, eating
problems and changes in family
financial circumstances.
Discussion: This study identifies
early predictors distinguishing
girls who develop eating
disorders.
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Findings point to the need for
continued research in the area
of early health to
comprehensively examine the
biologic, behavioral, and
environmental risks for
eating disorders.
How does Moorehead’s Research
relate to trauma and EDs?
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For a young child, severe illness and family
discrepancies (such as abuse, divorce,
alcoholism, etc) can be traumatic
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This includes cases of PTSD in young children
due to familial environmental stressors
Moorehead’s study confirms that, at least for
young women, stressful family issues can
lead to Eating Disorders.
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Especially abuse, depressive mothers, and sexual
abuse.
Isabelle Caro – Her campaign
against Anorexia and how it
affected her life
Video on the affects of Childhood
Trauma on Body Image
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This video is about Isabelle Caro, who had a
very hard childhood. She has been anorexic
for most of her life:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VS2mfWDr
yPE&feature=related
Works Cited
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http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&
db=psyh&AN=2006-23070-004&site=ehost-live
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&
db=psyh&AN=2007-12986-006&site=ehost-live
Levitt, J., & Sansone, R. (2007, July). Past
mysteries and current challenges: Eating disorders
and trauma. Eating Disorders: The Journal of
Treatment & Prevention, 15(4), 281-283. Retrieved
April 4, 2008, doi:10.1080/10640260701454303
http://www.raderprograms.com/article5.aspx