Anger and personality in eating disorders

• Published in: Journal of psychosomatic research Vol. 51; no. 6; pp. 757 - 764
• Main Authors: Fassino, Secondo, Daga, Giovanni Abbate, Pierò, Andrea, Leombruni, Paolo, Rovera, Giovanni Giacomo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Inc 01.12.2001; New York, NY Elsevier
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Anger; Anorexia Nervosa - psychology; Biological and medical sciences; Body Mass Index; Body Weight; Bulimia - psychology; Character; Eating behavior disorders; Eating disorders; Female; Humans; Impulsive Behavior - psychology; Impulsivity; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous; Personality Inventory; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Temperament; Anger; Impulsivity; Character; Temperament; Eating disorders; Human; Attitude; Emotion emotionality; Personality; Anorexia nervosa; Eating disorder; Bulimia; Vomiting; Adolescent; Young adult; Female; Typology; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0022-3999; 1879-1360
• DOI: 10.1016/S0022-3999(01)00280-X

Objective: This study was designed to examine how anger, temperament and character profiles differ across subtypes of eating disorders (EDs) in comparison to healthy controls and to analyze the relationship between anger expression, eating attitudes and personality dimensions. Method: One hundred and thirty-five outpatients (50 of whom suffered from anorexia nervosa restrictor type [AN-R], 40 from anorexia nervosa binge/purging [AN-BP] and 45 from bulimia nervosa [BN]) and 50 control subjects were recruited and administered State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI), Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and Eating Disorder Inventory II (EDI-II). Results: STAXI showed greater levels of anger in patients with BN than in those with AN. TCI showed different personality profiles, in accordance with previous studies. Correlations were found between the management of anger feelings and psychological and personality traits typical of patients with EDs. Conclusions: Clinically, impulsivity seems to be the psychopathologic element most strongly correlated to anger. Moreover, it appears clear that anger is better managed by individuals with greater character strength.