Personality, life stress and the course of eating disorders

We tested whether personality disturbance and stressful life events can help explain why some patients with Anorexia nervosa or Bulimia nervosa remain ill for several years. In a follow-up of 37 patients, both factors were found to be significantly associated with a poorer outcome after a year, and preliminary data suggest this trend continues after two years. Further follow-up is necessary, but the data so far suggests that treatment goals and methods must be tailored to widely dissimilar needs. They also imply that therapeutic efforts to help patients cope with stressful events may be rewarded by measurably reduced morbidity.