Author/Editor     Zalar, Bojan; Weber, Urška; Sernec, Karin
Title     Aggression and impulsivity with impulsive behaviours in patients with purgative anorexia and bulimia nervosa
Type     članek
Source     Psychiatr Danub
Vol. and No.     Letnik 23, št. 1
Publication year     2011
Volume     str. 27-33
Language     eng
Abstract     Background: The study aimed to compare purgative anorexia and bulimia nervosa patients in regard of their level of aggression and impulsivity traits, as well as dynamics of selected impulsive behaviours over time-course of eating disorder treatment. Subjects and methods: 30 females with purgative anorexia nervosa, 33 females with purgative bulimia nervosa and 31 controls were included. Impulsive behaviours were assessed upon hospital admission, discharge, and three and six months after, using the internal ward questionnaire. Aggression and impulsivity traits were evaluated three months after discharge using Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory and Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, 11th Revision. Results: In all patients, the expressed impulsive behaviours were most frequent upon admission, when bingeing, striking and quarrelling were more expressed in bulimic patients. Later, patient groups did not differ regarding any impulsive behaviour. These all substantially resolved till discharge, and showed further decline at later assessments. All patients had a higher level of aggression and impulsivity traits and lower overt and higher covert aggression than controls. Patient groups had similar within group distribution of aggression and impulsivity intensity levels. Regarding individual dimensions of these traits no difference was found between them, except for the higher level of suspiciousness in anorectic individuals. Conclusions: Purgative anorectic and bulimic patients show similar dynamics of impulsive behaviours which substantially decline over time-course of eating disorder treatment. They both present similarly heightened levels of aggression and impulsivity traits, with some minor differences regarding their individual dimensions, possibly reflecting higher overt aggression in bulimic and higher covert aggression in anorectic patients.
Descriptors     ANOREXIA NERVOSA
BULIMIA
IMPULSIVE BEHAVIOR
AGGRESSION
PATIENT ADMISSION
PATIENT DISCHARGE