Stealing in eating disordered patients

Abstract

Previous studies have noted high rates of stealing behavior in patients with eating disorders. To assess the significance of stealing in eating disordered patients, the authors compared the eating and purging behavior, levels of psychologic symptomatology, and alcohol use of 181 eating disordered patients with and without a history of stealing. Overall, the patients with a history of stealing had significantly more dysfunctional eating and purging behavior. Those patients with a history of stealing reported significantly more psychological distress including more depression, interpersonal sensitivity, obsessive compulsive behavior, and hostility. The authors conclude that stealing behavior should be assessed in patients with eating disorders as a history of stealing may define a subgroup of more severely impaired patients.