The clinical significance of symptom denial among women with anorexia nervosa: Another disposable myth?

Abstract The denial of illness or symptoms among women with anorexia nervosa is a widely recognized phenomenon. In the current study we compared women with anorexia nervosa who denied their symptoms (deniers, n = 29) to those who did not (admitters, n = 76) with regard to several clinically relevant variables, including personality features and outcome at 12-month follow-up. At intake, we found that the two groups did not differ with regard to age, age at onset of eating disturbance, body weight, or likelihood of having been in treatment before. Admitters had greater duration of restrictive eating and were somewhat more likely to experience bulimic symptoms. At 12-month follow-up, the two groups did not differ with regard to body weight, length of time in treatment, or outcome. Relative to admitters, deniers exhibited greater sociability and confidence. Admitters demonstrated greater levels of social disinterest and discomfort, and pessimism, compared to deniers. Results are discussed with regard to clinical relevance and dimctionsfor further research.