SEXUAL ABUSE AND BULIMIC SYMPTOMS IN EATING DISORDERS - DO FAMILY-INTERACTION AND SELF-ESTEEM EXPLAIN THE LINKS

The mechanisms linking sexual abuse and eating psychopathology were considered in a case series of 54 eating-disordered women. The effects of the presence and nature of any abuse were examined, allowing for the possible confounding effects of the women's self-esteem and family function. For the group as a whole, a reported history of sexual abuse was not associated with bulimic symptoms. However, in the 33 women who reported a history of abuse, binging was more frequent in those who described unwanted sexual experiences at an early age or with a family member. Vomiting was more frequent in cases where the abuse was intrafamilial. However, there was no association between the nature of the abuse and the women's Eating Attitude Test scores. Possible mechanisms to explain these associations are discussed.