The self-image of adolescent patients with eating disorders

Abstract

Forty German adolescent anorectic patients were assessed with regard to self‐image components as measured by the Offer Self‐image Questionnaire (OSIQ). The profile of this group deviated negatively from the German standardization group of healthy subjects on measures of impulse control, emotional tone, body image, social relationships, sexual attitudes, and psychopathohgy. In addition, the OSIQ profile of this German sample was remarkably similar to the profiles of samples reported in two American studies. Finally, it was found that inpatient treatment served to improve the psychological condition of the patients with regard to certain but not all self‐image components. Despite a trend of improvement, some of the scores did not fully normalize in this sample. © 1993 by lohn Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Depression and eating disorders

“…If we consider features related to depression, the most consistent findings reported by AN patients of different ages are disturbances in self-concept, including self-critical attitudes which extend to the body and undermine self-esteem (Casper et al, 1981). These findings have been replicated across independent samples (Swift et al, 1986) and across countries (Steinhausen and Vollrath, 1993), suggesting a specific transcultural self-image profile in AN. Indeed, Laessle et al (1988) found that the negative self-and body-valuation explained between 34 and 45% of the variance in the depression score of eating disorder patients.…”

Developing anorexia nervosa in adolescence: the role of self-image as a risk factor in a prevalence study

“…Many studies have shown that self-image in anorexic girls is much more perturbed than in healthy girls (Erkolahti et al, 2002;Iniewicz, 2005;Steinhausen & Vollrath, 1993). Comparing adolescents at risk for developing AN with healthy subjects, the main differences involve age and sex.…”

“…The instrument has also been used to measure self-image components in adolescent anorexic subjects (Casper et al, 1981;Erkolahti, Saarijärvi, Ilonen, & Hagman, 2002;Iniewicz, 2005;Steinhausen, 1985;Steinhausen & Vollrath, 1993) and an OSIQ study on EDs have been carried out in Italy as well (Bacchini, Duval, Valerio, & Pasanisi, 2005). Literature reports that, when evaluated with the OSIQ, anorexic subjects showed negative scores in the dimensions of emotional tone, sexual attitudes and social relationships (Casper et al, 1981;Erkolahti et al, 2002); particularly, older patients showed maladjustment in impulse control, body image and psychopathology (Casper et al, 1981;Steinhausen & Vollrath, 1993). The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence risk for developing AN in a very wide sample of adolescents age 15-19 years, comparing males and females and obtaining a psychological profile of these at-risk subjects, as assessed by the OSIQ.…”

Addiction and identity: Exploring the possibility of a relationship.

“…At the time of the interviews, these 16 individuals showed few signs of their former addictive selves, in comparison to 20 previously treated clients who continued abusing opiates, and had aligned themselves with a non-drug-using reference group. Microlevel factors, like body image, social relationships, sexual attitudes, and impulse control, shift in socially conventional directions in patients successfully treated for an eating disorder (Steinhausen & Vollrath, 1993). Microlevel factors, like body image, social relationships, sexual attitudes, and impulse control, shift in socially conventional directions in patients successfully treated for an eating disorder (Steinhausen & Vollrath, 1993).…”