Multifactorial assessment of bulimia nervosa

J Abnorm Psychol. 1991 Feb;100(1):14-21. doi: 10.1037//0021-843x.100.1.14.

Abstract

We investigated a multifactorial approach to the assessment of bulimia nervosa by means of hierarchical factor analysis. Two hundred forty-five bulimia nervosa patients and 68 patients with either anorexia nervosa or eating disorders not otherwise specified were administered a self-report battery that was organized into 21 dimensions relevant to eating disorder patients. When dimensions from this battery were subjected to hierarchical factor analysis, support for bulimia nervosa as a unique diagnostic category was obtained. However, the emergence of 3 secondary factors and 6 primary factors suggests that bulimia nervosa can also be described more complexly. The emergence of a multifactorial model of bulimia nervosa that incorporates several existing undimensional models suggests the potential for both divergent and complicated clinical presentation in bulimia nervosa patients.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Bulimia / complications
  • Bulimia / diagnosis*
  • Bulimia / etiology
  • Factor Analysis, Statistical
  • Feeding and Eating Disorders / complications
  • Feeding and Eating Disorders / diagnosis
  • Feeding and Eating Disorders / etiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mental Disorders / complications
  • Models, Psychological
  • Personality Inventory