The relationship between childhood sexual abuse and subsequent onset of bulimia nervosa

Abstract

Seventy-two young adult women identified by the Bulimic Investigatory Test, Edinburgh (BITE) as having a high probability of suffering from bulimia nervosa were compared with 72 matched controls who did not display bulimic symptoms. Both groups were given measures of sexual abuse history, dissociation, and early family mealtime experiences. Rates of self-reported sexual abuse after the age of 12 with an adult relative as the perpetrator were significantly greater in the women diagnosed as bulimic. Nonsignificant but high rates of sexual abuse prior to age 12 were also found for this group. Dissociative experiences were also significantly more common in the bulimic group overall, and higher still for bulimic women who reported sexual abuse as children. Bulimic women had more negative and unusual mealtime experiences than nonbulimic women. Results suggest that sexual abuse may be related to the subsequent onset of bulimia nervosa for some women.