Object relations ego deficits in bulimic college women

Abstract

Two types of bulimic (purging and restricting) and two types of non‐bulimic (binging or normal) eating patterns were reported by 547 undergraduate women who also were assessed for ego function deficits on the four subscales of the Bell Object Relations Inventory. As predicted by psychoanalytic theory, the two bulimic subgroups appeared significantly more pathological on the Insecure Attachment subscale, which identifies ambivalent interpersonal relations and fear of object loss. When the four groups were ranked according to severity of type of eating disorder, a linear increase in group means and in the proportion of high scoring subjects was found on Insecure Attachment and also on the Egocentricity subscale, which indicates suspicious and manipulative attitudes towards others. Results are interpreted to support theories that relate eating disorder to disturbances in object relations ego functioning.

Defense styles and object-relations disturbances among university women displaying varying degrees of “symptomatic” eating

“…The presence of disturbances (albeit weak) of this type in our nonclinical sample suggests that more marked interpersonal disturbances will likely be associated with eating pathology in full clinical groups. Together with the findings of Becker et al, (1987), hence, we would argue that there is support for the belief that object-relations disturbances are linked to eating pathology. Steiger and Houle Evidence links eating disorders seen in clinics with relatively severe character disturbances and interpersonal problems (Piran, Lerner, Garfinkel, Kennedy, & Brouillette, 1988).…”

“…The study by Becker et al (1987) identifies two scales of the Object Relations Inventory (Bell, Billington, & Becker, 1986) to differentiate students with and without bulimic eating patterns: the Insecure Attachment and Egocentricity subscales. These scales, respectively measuring (1) doubt-ridden or painful interpersonal relations, and (2) a self-centered, narcissistic position vis-a-vis others were among four developed through factor analyses on 336 subjects' data.…”

Psychological Correlates of Anorexic and Bulimic Symptomatology

“…Researchers have examined this relationship in terms of independence (Smart, et al, 1976), submissiveness (Pillay & Crisp, 1977;Strober, 1980), and ego-functioning (Becker, Bell, & Billington, 1987). For example, Smart et al, (1976) found that, among other personality traits, anorexic patients were more independent than controls, while Pillay and Crisp (1977) concluded that low dominance scores and high abasement needs suggested submissiveness.…”

“…For example, Smart et al, (1976) found that, among other personality traits, anorexic patients were more independent than controls, while Pillay and Crisp (1977) concluded that low dominance scores and high abasement needs suggested submissiveness. Becker et al, (1987) examined an index of object relations and found that bulimic women reported more fears of abandonment and less autonomy in relationships than normal women.…”

Self-Silencing as a Mediator and Moderator of Adult Attachment and Disordered Eating Attitudes

“…In the last two decades, there has been a considerable amount of empirical research involving the use of parent-child relationship dynamics or attachment theory as conceptual frameworks for understanding the etiology of disordered eating. In terms of parent-child relationships, women with disordered eating reported their fathers as emotionally unavailable and highly critical of them (Cole-Detke & Kobak, 1996), the lack of parental care or empathy (Steiger, Van der Feen, Goldstein, & Leichner, 1989), or high parental hostility (Becker, Bell, & Billington, 1987). Also, M. E. Kenny and Hart (1992) reported that college students with secure parental attachment reported lower levels of weight and dieting preoccupation, bulimic behavior, and feelings of inadequacy compared to women with eating disorders.…”