Does the size of a binge matter?

✍ Scribed by Pratt, Elizabeth M. ;Niego, Sara H. ;Agras, W. Stewart

• Publisher: Wiley (John Wiley & Sons)
• Year: 1998
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 121 KB
• Volume: 24
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0276-3478
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1098-108x(199811)24:3<307::aid-eat8>3.0.co;2-q

✦ Synopsis

Objective:

The aim of this study was to examine whether objective and subjective binges differ significantly from each other in relation to measures of psychopathology in a sample of women who meet DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for bulimia nervosa. Method: Baseline data from the Eating Disorder Examination (EDE) were analyzed and the average of the sum of and the difference between objective and subjective binge episodes were converted to z scores. Regressions were run with other baseline measures including the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnosis of DSM-III-R (SCID) I and II disorders, EDE subscales, and psychological measures. Results: We found no significant difference between the two types of binges on all but one measure, the ''Can Do'' subscale of the Self-Efficacy Questionnaire, in a regression with the z score of total binges. Discussion: The lack of significant findings questions the diagnostic validity of the ''large amount of food'' criterion used to define binge eating in the DSM-IV.