[Anxiety in eating disorders: a comparative study]

Psicothema. 2012;24(3):384-9.
[Article in Spanish]

Abstract

Scientific literature shows that anxiety is an important factor in eating disorders. The aim of this case-control study was to compare the anxiety manifestations obtained by means of the Anxiety Situations and Responses Inventory of in a clinical sample of 74 females (46, anorexia nervosa; 28, bulimia) to those obtained by a control group (130 girls without disorders). The between-group ANOVA results showed higher anxiety scores in the clinical group with a medium effect size for the anxiety trait, finding a flat profile (within-group ANOVA) for the three response systems (cognitive, physiological and motor) and the four specific anxiety traits (test, interpersonal, phobic, and daily life situations). Moreover, high scores in anxiety involved a greater risk of being diagnosed with an eating disorder in the 8 bivariate comparisons. The estimations were more precise for cognitive anxiety and for the specific interpersonal anxiety trait.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Anorexia Nervosa / epidemiology*
  • Anorexia Nervosa / psychology
  • Anxiety / epidemiology*
  • Anxiety Disorders / epidemiology*
  • Bulimia / epidemiology*
  • Bulimia / psychology
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Comorbidity
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Odds Ratio
  • Personality Inventory
  • Psychological Tests
  • ROC Curve
  • Risk
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Severity of Illness Index