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. 2021 Feb;26(1):219-225.
doi: 10.1007/s40519-019-00837-y. Epub 2020 Jan 8.

Asceticism, perfectionism and overcontrol in youth with eating disorders

Nicole Obeid  1   2 , Darcie D Valois  3 , Shannon Bedford  4 , Mark L Norris  3   5 , Nicole G Hammond  3 , Wendy Spettigue  3   6
Affiliations

Asceticism, perfectionism and overcontrol in youth with eating disorders

Nicole Obeid et al. Eat Weight Disord. 2021 Feb.

Abstract

Purpose: Personality traits such as perfectionism and asceticism, and combinations of these traits (i.e., overcontrol) have been related to eating disorder (ED) diagnosis, symptoms, and chronicity in adult patients with EDs. However, as limited evidence exists in adolescents, the aim of the present study was to examine these links in a clinical sample of adolescents with EDs.

Method: A retrospective chart review was conducted on 178 adolescents (91% females; Mage = 15.73 years, SD = 1.31) receiving services at a tertiary care pediatric ED program. An examination of variability in mean levels of perfectionism, asceticism, and overcontrol across ED symptom groups (restrictive and binge/purge ED subtypes) was conducted to learn of diagnostic differences, while correlations were used to explore the association of these personality traits with comorbid anxiety and depressive symptoms. Hierarchical linear regression was used to assess whether overcontrol was related to length of stay (LOS) in an inpatient program.

Results: Results indicated that adolescents with binge-purge symptoms had higher levels of perfectionism, asceticism and overcontrol compared to those with restrictive symptoms, and that greater levels of perfectionism, asceticism and overcontrol were associated with elevated depression and anxiety symptoms. Additionally, overcontrol predicted greater LOS in the inpatient ED program.

Conclusion: Results suggest the importance of assessing, monitoring and targeting overcontrol in treatment for adolescents with EDs given its impact on comorbid symptoms and LOS.

Level of evidence: Level III, evidence obtained from case-control analytic studies.

Keywords: Adolescence; Binge/purge profile; Eating disorders; Overcontrol; Personality; Restrictive profile.

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