Abstract
To identify distinguishing features of personality associated with anorexia nervosa in adolescence, univariate and multiple group discriminant function analyses were used to compare the Cattell High School Personality Questionnaire responses of 50 anorectics and matched groups of depressed and antisocial adolescent females. Results indicated the presence of two major sources of discriminating variance. Relative to both control groups, anorectics were characterized by significantly greater conformity, neurotic anxieties, control of emotionality, and stimulus avoidance. These findings suggest that at the level of personality functioning, the anorectic has failed to acquire the sense of individuation, mastery, and general plasticity of psychological functioning necessary to cope effectively with critical developmental tasks and progress toward identity formation. Results are discussed in terms of the extant literature on anorexia nervosa and future research needs.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
American Psychiatric Association. (1980).Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III) American Psychiatric Association, Washington, D.C.
Ben-Tovim, D., Marilov, V., and Crisp, A. H. (1979). Personality and mental state (P.S.E.) within anorexia nervosa.J. Psychosom. Res. 23: 321–325.
Blos, P. (1967). The second individuation process of adolescence.Psychoanal. Stud. Child. 22: 162–186.
Bruch, H. (1973).Eating Disorders: Obesity, Anorexia, and the Person Within Basic Books, New York.
Cattell, R. B., and Cattell, M. B. (1969).Handbook for the High School Personality Questionnaire Institute for Personality and Ability Testing, Champaign, Ill.
Cooley, W. W., and Lohnes, P. R. (1971).Multivariate Data Analysis Wiley, New York.
Crisp, A. H. (1980).Anorexia Nervosa: Let Me Be Grune and Stratton, New York.
Dally, P., and Gomez, J. (1979).Anorexia Nervosa Heinemann, London.
Deutsch, H. (1944).The Psychology of Women Grune and Stratton, New York.
Gomez, J., and Dally, P. (1980). Psychometric ratings in the assessment of progress in anorexiaBr. J. Psychiat. 136: 290–296.
Peskin, H. (1972). Multiple predictors of adult psychological health from preadolescent and adolescent behavior.J. Consult. Clin. Psychol. 38: 155–160.
Pillay, M., and Crisp, A.H. (1977). Some psychological characteristics of patients with anorexia nervosa whose weight has been newly restored.Bri. J. Med. Psychol. 50: 375–380.
Russell, G. F. M. (1970). Anorexia nervosa: Its identity as an illness and its treatment. In Price, J. H. (ed.),Modern Trends in Psychological Medicine Butterworth, London.
Selvini-Palazzoli, M. (1978).Self-Starvation Jason Aronson, New York.
Smart, D. E., Beumont, P. J. V., and George, G. C. W. (1976). Some personality characteristics of patients with anorexia nervosa.Br. J. Psychiat. 128: 57–60.
Sours, J. (1980).Starving to Death in a Sea of Objects: The Anorexia Nervosa Syndrome Jason Aronson, New York.
Strober, M. (1980). Personality and symptomatological features in young, nonchronic anorexia nervosa patients.J. Psychosom. Res. 24: 353–359.
Stonehill, E., and Crisp, A. H. (1977). Psychoneurotic characteristics of patients with anorexia nervosa before and after treatment and at follow-up 4–7 years later.J. Psychosom. Res. 21: 187–193.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Received his Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh. Primary research interests are empirical studies of clinical psychopathology and psychosomatic disorders in adolescents.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Strober, M. A comparative analysis of personality organization in juvenile anorexia nervosa. J Youth Adolescence 10, 285–295 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02088992
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02088992