Self-injurious behaviour in people with eating disorders

Objective To determine the importance of self-injurious behaviour in people with eating disorders (ED) and to analyse the possible differences between ED subtypes. Method 109 patients with ED (51 anorexia nervosa (AN) and 58 bulimia nervosa (BN)), according to DSM-IV diagnostic criteria, who were consecutively referred to our unit, participated in this study. All cases were female. Assessment Subjects were assessed by means of a semi-structured clinical interview and self-report questionnaires (Eating Attitudes Test, EAT-40; Eating Disorders Inventory, EDI; Bulimic Investigatory Test Edinburgh, BITE; Body Shape Questionnaire, BSQ; Beck Depression Inventory, BDI; Social Anxiety Scale, SAD). Design Comparison of cases by considering the factors diagnosis and self-injurious behaviour. Results The presence of self-injurious behaviour (SIB) (32% of cases) was not associated with the diagnosis (p = 0.28). There was no association between SIB, suicide attempts, alcohol abuse and stealing, but a positive correlation between SIB and drug abuse was found (r = 0.284, p < 0.003). Likewise, patients with SIB showed higher scores on severity of the disorder (EDI, p < 0.04), depressive symptoms (BDI, p < 0.02), social anxiety (SAD, p < 0.02) and body image dissatisfaction (BSQ, p < 0.03). Conclusions: Eating disorders are pathologies in which self-injurious behaviour will be commonly present. SIB is associated with greater depression and anxiety and in general terms with greater severity of the disorder.