Alexithymia and body image in adult outpatients with binge eating disorder

• Published in: The International journal of eating disorders Vol. 39; no. 4; pp. 332 - 340
• Main Authors: Carano, A, De Berardis, D, Gambi, F, Di Paolo, C, Campanella, D, Pelusi, L, Sepede, G, Mancini, E, La Rovere, R, Salini, G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01.05.2006; Wiley
• Subjects: Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Affective Symptoms - epidemiology; alexithymia; Analysis of Variance; anxiety; binge eating disorder; binging; Biological and medical sciences; body dissatisfaction; Body Image; Bulimia Nervosa - epidemiology; Bulimia Nervosa - psychology; Comorbidity; Depression; depressive symptoms; Eating behavior disorders; Female; Humans; Italy - epidemiology; Linear Models; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Mood disorders; Prevalence; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Self Concept; self-efficacy; self-esteem; shape; Canada; Italy; Human; Mood disorder; self-esteem; body dissatisfaction; binge eating disorder; Body image; Alexithymia; Satisfaction; Depression; Personality; Eating disorder; depressive symptoms; Binge eating; Adult; Self esteem
• ISSN: 0276-3478; 1098-108X
• DOI: 10.1002/eat.20238

Objective: The current study elucidates the relations between alexithymia and body image in patients with binge eating disorder (BED). Method: One hundred one patients with BED were evaluated. Alexithymia was measured with the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). The severity of BED was measured with the Binge Eating Scale (BES). Body concerns were assessed with the Body Shape Questionnaire-Short Version (BSQ-S), the Body Uneasiness Test (BUT), and the Body Attitude Test (BAT). Additional measures were the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Results: The prevalence of alexithymia in our sample was 39.6% (n = 40) and individuals with alexithymia showed higher scores on all rating scales. Higher body dissatisfaction, lower self-esteem, depressive symptoms, and the Difficulty in Identifying Feelings/Difficulty in Describing Feelings subscales of the TAS-20 were predictors of the severity of BED in the linear regression analysis. Conclusion: Alexithymia was associated with more severe BED. Individuals with alexithymia and BED exhibited significantly poorer appearance evaluation and body satisfaction as well as higher depressive symptoms than individuals without alexithymia.