MMPI–2 Profiles of Women With Eating Disorders in a Dutch Day Treatment Sample

Measurement of Eating Pathology Using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-3 (MMPI-3)

Eating disorders are prevalent among college student populations. Although previous iterations of the instrument did not include specific measurement of eating pathology, the Minnesota multiphasic personality inventory-3 (MMPI-3) now includes a specific scale (i.e., Eating Concerns [EAT]) to assess problematic eating behaviors. The current study examined the MMPI-3 assessment of eating pathology among 249 undergraduate women. A pattern emerged where symptoms of internalizing psychopathology on the MMPI-3 were generally associated with symptoms of eating disorder. However, the newly included EAT scale demonstrated the strongest associations with most areas of eating dysfunction. Further, hierarchical regression analyses suggested that the EAT scale added substantial incremental predictive utility (up to 23%) over other MMPI-3 scales combined in assessing eating pathology. Classification accuracy statistics yielded high sensitivity and specificity coefficients when predicting eating disorder risk at an EAT scale score cutoff of 75 T or higher. These findings support the use of the MMPI-3 in assessing eating pathology in college women, although its performance with men and with women not of college age remains to be studied.

Psychopathology Factors That Affect the Relationship Between Body Size and Body Dissatisfaction and the Relationship Between Body Dissatisfaction and Eating Pathology

Although high body mass index (BMI) alone does not invariably lead to body dissatisfaction (BD) and BD alone does not invariably lead to eating pathology (EP), research has suggested that there are clear relationships between each predictor and its respective criterion. We have a limited understanding of the factors that explain why some women at higher risk for BD (because of their BMI) do not report being dissatisfied with their bodies and why some women who are highly dissatisfied, do not engage in pathological eating behaviors. The present study examined such factors. A university sample of New Zealand women (N = 166) completed the Personality Assessment Inventory (Morey, 1991) and questionnaires measuring BD and EP. The tendency to report lower BD than would be predicted by one's BMI, and the tendency to report lower EP than would be expected based on one's BD, were characterized by lower overall distress (i.e., lower levels of anxiety and depression) and greater mood stability compared to those who followed the predicted outcome. Greater understanding of the factors that protect high-risk women from BD and EP may contribute to prevention and intervention strategies.

Temperament and personality in eating disorders

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

In the last decades, three main different personality domains have been investigated in the field of eating disorders: personality traits, temperament, and personality disorders. The use of a wide range of instruments and the presence of many different approaches in the definition of personality dimensions make it difficult to summarize the emerging results from different studies. The aim of this narrative review is to critically highlight and discuss all interesting developments in this field, as reflected in the recent literature.

RECENT FINDINGS

The study of personality and temperament in eating disorders seems to be in line with the recently suggested dimensional approach, which highlights the importance of symptoms aggregation, rather than the categorical diagnoses. Recent literature seems to confirm that specific personality and temperamental profiles can be drawn for patients with eating disorders, which can discriminate different eating disorders' diagnoses/symptoms.

SUMMARY

These observations have relevant clinical implications as treatment of eating disorders is largely based on psychotherapeutic interventions. However, large longitudinal studies are needed to better clarify the suggested relationships and to identify more defined therapeutic strategies.