Dissociation and Depression in Eating Disorders

Measures of dissociation and depression were obtained from 26 women with anorexia nervosa, 18 with bulimia nervosa, and 31 non eating disordered controls using the Questionnaire of Experiences of Dissociation (Riley, 1988) and the Beck Depression Inventory (Beck, Ward, Mendelson, Mock & Erbaugh, 1961). Eating disordered subjects scored significantly higher on both dissociation and depression than non eating disordered subjects. A moderate positive correlation was found between dissociation and depression in both the anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa groups. The data are discussed in terms of previous research and possible future studies. The necessity for further enquiry of the role of dissociation in the etiology of eating disorders is underscored.