Parental psychopathology as a predictor of long-term outcome in bulimia nervosa patients

Eat Disord. 2008 Jan-Feb;16(1):30-9. doi: 10.1080/10640260701771672.

Abstract

This paper sought to examine parental variables as predictors of long-term outcome in women with bulimia nervosa (BN). Participants were 94 treatment-seeking women with BN who were assessed at baseline, treatment end, and at follow-up (M=10.13 years). Participants reported rates of psychopathology and obesity in their mothers and fathers at baseline. The most frequently reported parental psychopathology was substance abuse in fathers. Chi-square analyses indicated that substance abuse in fathers was associated with poor treatment-end outcome in BN participants. Depression in mothers was associated with poor outcome at long-term follow-up, and obesity in mothers was associated with better outcome at long-term follow-up. A logistic regression analysis found that lifetime mood disorder in participants and severe depression in mothers were independent predictors of bulimic symptoms at long-term follow-up. The association between maternal severe depression and long-term outcome in BN suggests that specific parental variables may indicate longer course of BN.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Bulimia Nervosa / diagnosis*
  • Bulimia Nervosa / epidemiology*
  • Bulimia Nervosa / psychology
  • Child
  • Child of Impaired Parents / statistics & numerical data*
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Parent-Child Relations*
  • Parents / psychology*
  • Patient Acceptance of Health Care / statistics & numerical data
  • Prevalence
  • Prospective Studies
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Time Factors