Trauma and anorexia nervosa: the association between trauma characteristics, PTSD and the duration of the eating disorder.

 

[Article in Dutch]. Research into the prevalence of various traumatic events in anorexia nervosa (AN) is sparse, with the findings from these studies varying. In addition, the number and age at which traumatic events occurred was not consistently included in previous studies. AIM: To study the prevalence of different types of traumatic events, whether they occurred in early childhood or not, the number of different events and their associations with PTSD symptoms, and the duration of the eating disorder among clinically admitted patients with AN. METHOD: In the admission department of an eating disorder clinic, 60 female patients with AN completed questionnaires about traumatic events and symptoms of PTSD during the first week of admission. RESULTS: Although physical violence during early childhood and traumatic sexual events in later childhood and adulthood were the most commonly reported, there was a variety of types of traumatic events that were frequently reported. In addition, patients who had experienced traumatic events at a young age and or multiple types of traumatic events had a longer-lasting eating disorder. CONCLUSION: A thorough inventory of trauma in patients with eating disorders seems important, as this could play a role in maintaining an eating disorder. Tijdschr Psychiatr . 2020;62(7):541-548.