Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To examine correlates of childhood maltreatment in women with binge-eating disorder (BED). METHOD: Semistructured interviews evaluated 137 women with BED for psychiatric disorders and eating psychopathology, and self-reported childhood maltreatment was assessed. RESULTS: Emotional abuse was reported by 52% of participants, physical abuse by 28%, sexual abuse by 31%, emotional neglect by 66%, and physical neglect by 48%. Maltreatment categories were not associated with most lifetime psychiatric diagnoses, although specific associations were observed for dysthymic disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, and alcohol use disorders. Few associations were noted with eating pathology, but most forms of childhood maltreatment were negatively associated with selfesteem. DISCUSSION: Women with BED report rates of childhood maltreatment comparable to those for clinical groups, and much higher than community samples. Although prevalent in women with BED, childhood maltreatment is not generally associated with variability in eating pathology or with psychiatric comorbidity, but is associated with lower self-esteem.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Connors ME, Morse W. Sexual abuse and eating disorders: A review. Int J Eat Disord 1993; 13: 1–11.
Fosse GK, Holen A. Childhood maltreatment in adult female psychiatric outpatients with eating disorders. Eat Behav 2006; 7: 404–9.
Herzog DB, Staley JE, Carmody S, et al. Childhood sexual abuse in anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa: A pilot study. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 1993; 32: 962–6.
Rayworth BB, Wise LA, Harlow BL. Childhood abuse and risk of eating disorders in women. Epidemiology 2004; 15: 271–8.
Rodriguez-Srednicki O. Childhood sexual abuse, dissociation, and adult self-destructive behavior. J Child Sex Abuse 2001; 10: 75–90.
Welch SL, Fairburn CG. Sexual abuse and bulimia nervosa: Three integrated case control comparisons. Am J Psychiatry 1994; 151: 402–7.
Wonderlich SA, Crosby RD, Mitchell JE, et al. Eating disturbance and sexual trauma in childhood and adulthood. Int J Eat Disord 2001; 30: 401–12.
Yellowlees AJ. Anorexia and bulimia in anorexia nervosa: A study of psychosocial functioning and associated psychiatric symptomatology. Br J Psychiatry 1985; 146: 648–52.
Yanovski SZ, Nelson JE, Dubbert BK, et al. Association of binge eating disorder and psychiatric comorbidity in obese subjects. Am J Psychiatry 1993; 150: 1472–9.
Fairburn CG, Doll HA, Welch SL, et al. Risk factors for binge eating disorder: A community-based, case-control study. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1998; 55: 425–32.
Grilo CM, Masheb RM. Childhood psychological, physical, and sexual maltreatment in outpatients with binge eating disorder: Frequency and associations with gender, obesity, and eating-related psychopathology. Obes Res 2001; 9: 320–5.
Grilo CM, White MA, Masheb RM. DSM-IV psychiatric disorder comorbidity and its correlates in binge eating disorder. Int J Eating Disord 2009; 42: 228–34.
Wilfley DE, Friedman MA, Dounchis JZ, et al. Comorbid psychopathology in binge eating disorder: Relation to eating disorder severity at baseline and following treatment. J Consult Clin Psychol 2000; 68: 641–9.
Richardson J, Steiger H, Schmitz N, et al. Relevance of the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism and childhood abuse to increased psychiatric comorbidity in women with bulimia-spectrum disorders. J Clin Psychiatry 2008; 69: 981–90.
MacMillan HL, Fleming JE, Streiner DL, et al. Childhood abuse and lifetime psychopathology in a community sample. Am J Psychiatry 2001; 158: 1878–83.
American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed). Washington, DC, APA, 1994.
First MB, Spitzer RL, Gibbon M, et al. Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders — Patient Edition (SCID-I/P; version 2.0). New York, New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1996.
Pilkonis PA, Heape CL, Ruddy J, et al. Validity in the diagnosis of personality disorders: The use of the LEAD standard. Psychol Assess 1991; 3: 46–54.
Fairburn CG, Cooper Z. The Eating Disorder Examination (12th ed). In: Fairburn CG, Wilson GT (Eds) Binge Eating: Nature, Assessment, and Treatment. New York, Guilford Press, 1993, pp 317–60.
Grilo CM, Masheb RM, Wilson GT. A comparison of different methods for assessing the features of eating disorders in patients with binge eating disorder. J Consult Clin Psychol 2001; 69: 317–22.
Grilo CM, Masheb RM, Wilson GT. Different methods for assessing the features of eating disorders in patients with binge eating disorder: A replication. Obes Res 2001; 9: 418–22.
Grilo CM, Lozano C, Elder KA. Inter-rater and test-retest reliability of the Spanish language version of the Eating Disorder Examination interview: Clinical and research implications. J Psychiatr Practice 2005; 11: 231–40.
Grilo CM, Masheb RM, Lozano-Blanco C, et al. Reliability of the Eating Disorder Examination in patients with binge eating disorder. Int J Eat Disord 2004; 35: 80–5.
Bernstein DP, Fink L. Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. San Antonio, TX, Psychological Corporation, 1998.
Bernstein DP, Fink L, Handelsman L, et al. Initial reliability and validity of a new retrospective measure of child abuse and neglect. Am J Psychiatry 1994; 151: 1132–6.
Walker EA, Unutzer J, Rutter C, et al. Costs of health care use by women HMO members with a history of childhood abuse and neglect. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1999; 56: 609–13.
Beck AT, Steer RA. Manual for the Revised Beck Depression Inventory. New York, Psychological Corporation, 1987.
Beck AT, Steer RA, Garbin MG. Psychometric properties of the Beck Depression Inventory: 25 years of evaluation. Clin Psychol Rev 1988; 8: 77–100.
Rosenberg M. Conceiving the Self. New York, Basic Books, 1979.
Grilo CM, Masheb RM, Brody M, et al. Childhood maltreatment in extremely obese male and female bariatric surgery candidates. Obes Res 2005; 13: 123–30.
McCarthy MK, Goff DC, Baer L, et al. Dissociation, childhood trauma, and the response to fluoxetine in bulimic patients. Int J Eat Disord 1994; 15: 219–26.
Rohde P, Ichikawa L, Simon GE, et al. Associations of child sexual and physical abuse with obesity and depression in middle-aged women. Child Abuse Negl 2008; 32: 878–87.
Gerke CK, Mazzeo SE, Kliewer W. The role of depression and dissociation in the relationship between childhood trauma and bulimic symptoms among ethnically diverse female undergraduates. Child Abuse Negl 2006; 30: 1161–72.
Johnson JG, Cohen P, Smailes EM, et al. Childhood verbal abuse and risk for personality disorders during adolescence and early adulthood. Compr Psychiatry 2001; 42: 16–23.
Ney PG. Does verbal abuse leave deeper scars: A study of children and parents. Can J Psychiatry 1987; 32: 371–8.
Black DW, Goldstein RB, Mason EE. Prevalence of mental disorder in 88 morbidly obese bariatric clinic patients. Am J Psychiatry 1992; 149: 227–34.
Gustafson TB, Sarwer DB. Childhood sexual abuse and obesity. Obes Rev 2004; 5: 129–35.
King TK, Clark MM, Pera V. History of sexual abuse and obesity treatment outcome. Addict Behav 1996; 21: 283–90.
Becker DF, Grilo CM. Prediction of drug and alcohol abuse in hospitalized adolescents: Comparisons by gender and substance type. Behav Res Ther 2006; 44: 1431–40.
Widom CS, Ireland T, Glynn PJ. Alcohol abuse in abused and neglected children followed-up: Are they at increased risk? J Stud Alcohol 1995; 56: 207–17.
Bardone-Cone AM, Maldonado CR, Crosby RD, et al. Revisiting differences in bulimia nervosa with and without a history of anorexia nervosa: Eating pathology, personality, and maltreatment. Int J Eat Disord 2008; 41: 697–704.
Bentley T, Widom CS. A 30-year follow-up of the effects of child abuse and neglect on obesity in adulthood. Obesity (Silver Spring) 2009; 17: 1900–5.
Midei AJ, Matthews KA, Bromberger JT. Childhood abuse is associated with adiposity in midlife women: Possible pathways through trait anger and reproductive hormones. Psychosom Med 2010; 72: 215–23.
Thomas C, Hyppönen E, Power C. Obesity and type 2 diabetes risk in midadult life: The role of childhood adversity. Pediatrics 2008; 121: e1240–9.
Grilo CM, Sanislow CA, Fehon DC, et al. Psychological and behavioral functioning in adolescent psychiatric inpatients who report histories of childhood abuse. Am J Psychiatry 1999; 156: 538–43.
Mahon J, Bradley SN, Harvey PK, et al. Childhood trauma has dose-effect relationship with dropping out from psychotherapeutic treatment for bulimia nervosa: A replication. Int J Eat Disord 2001; 30: 138–48.
Reas DL, Grilo CM. Review and meta-analysis of pharmacotherapy for binge-eating disorder. Obesity 2008; 16: 2024–38.
Wilson GT, Grilo CM, Vitousek K. Psychological treatments for eating disorders. Am Psychol 2007; 62: 199–216.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
This paper was presented in part at the 163rd annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association, New Orleans, Louisiana; May 22-26, 2010.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Becker, D.F., Grilo, C.M. Childhood maltreatment in women with binge-eating disorder: Associations with psychiatric comorbidity, psychological functioning, and eating pathology. Eat Weight Disord 16, e113–e120 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03325316
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03325316