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Post-traumatic stress disorder in women with eating disorders

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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to assess the frequency of co-morbid post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD) in women with eating disorders (ED). METHOD: 277 women aged 17 to 50 with a current DSM-IV ED were included. 84 were diagnosed with anorexia nervosa (AN), 152 with bulimia nervosa (BN) and 41 with ED not otherwise specified (EDNOS). Structured Clinical Interviews (SCID-I and SCID-II) were performed. RESULTS: Sixty-eight participants (24.5%) reported unwanted sexual experiences (USE). Fifty-two participants (18.8%) reported some form of childhood sexual abuse (CSA). Four participants (1.4%) met the criteria for PTSD according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-IV (DSM-IV). Participants with a history of USE did not differ from those without USE with regard to ED diagnosis, but were diagnosed more often with any Axis I or Axis II disorder. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of PTSD in this sample of women with ED was low (1.4%), despite a USE rate of 24.5%.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Psychiatrische Dienste Aargau AG, Haselstrasse 1, 5401, Baden, Switzerland

    U. Hepp MD

  2. Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland

    U. Hepp MD, A. Spindler, U. Schnyder & B. Kraemer

  3. Eating Disorder Unit, Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland

    G. Milos

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  1. U. Hepp MD
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  2. A. Spindler
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  3. U. Schnyder
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  4. B. Kraemer
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  5. G. Milos
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Correspondence to U. Hepp MD.

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Hepp, U., Spindler, A., Schnyder, U. et al. Post-traumatic stress disorder in women with eating disorders. Eat Weight Disord 12, e24–e27 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03327778

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