An Investigation Into the Cognitive Functioning of Bulimic Women

Abstract

The present study examined differences in selected areas of cognitive functioning of 18 bulimic and 23 nonbulimic women. The participants were compared on variables related to cognitive and behavioral coping and self-efficacy. Our results indicated differences between bulimic and nonbulimic women on all measures. Bulimic women demonstrated higher levels of dietary restraint; lower self-appraised problem-solving ability; lower sense of personal efficacy with regard to successful performance in a variety of life tasks; and a tendency to attribute positive events to external, global, and unstable factors. The results are discussed in the context of previous research and also present implications for practicing counselors.

Problem-Solving Appraisal and Human Adjustment

“…Specifically, two studies examined U.S. women who were clinically diagnosed according to DSM-III and DSM-III-R diagnostic criteria (American Psychiatric Association, 1987) as having an eating disorder. Etringer, Altmaier, and Bowers (1989) found bulimic women to have statistically significant higher PSI scores (PSI Total and all three factors) than a nonbulimic control group. Soukup, Beiler, and Terrell (1990) found both bulimic and anorexic women (as opposed to those women without an eating disorder) to have statistically higher PSI scores on the PSI Total and specifically on the Problem-Solving Confidence and Approach-Avoidance Style factors.…”

Bulimia nervosa and depression: A theoretical and clinical appraisal in light of the binge—purge cycle

“…These consistencies with the hopelessness theory are related to the first component of hopelessness, the pervasive expectation of negative outcomes. This component gains direct support from Etringer, Altmaier & Bowers (1989), who found that bulimics had a significantly lower generalized expectancy of success than controls.…”

Self‐competence and self‐liking in the prediction of change in bulimic symptoms

“…Additional empirical work supports the relationship between general self-efficacy and bulimic behavior (Bennett, Spoth, & Borgen, 1991;Cooley & Toray, 1996;Etringer, Altmaier, & Bowers, 1989;Gormally, Black, Daston, & Rardin, 1982;Mizes, 1988;Shisslak et al, 1990;Striegel-Moore, Silberstein, Frensch, & Rodin, 1989). Mizes found that helplessness, a concept related to low self-efficacy, related strongly to bulimic symptoms.…”

“…Mizes found that helplessness, a concept related to low self-efficacy, related strongly to bulimic symptoms. Similarly, Etringer et al (1989) found that women with bulimia had a much lower sense of general efficacy, including less confidence in problem-solving capacities, than nonbulimic women. In their 7-month longitudinal study of female college freshmen, Cooley and Toray (1996) found that individuals who reported more bulimic symptoms reported more feelings of ineffectiveness concurrently and that ineffectiveness predicted an increase in bulimic symptomatology.…”