engleski

Defence Styles and Alexithymia in Eating Disorder Patients

Abstract: Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between defense styles, and alexithymia in female eating disorder patients. Method: Seventy eight eating disorder patients (18 restrictive anorexia nervosa patients, 14 bulimic anorexia nervosa patients, 39 bulimia nervosa patients and 7 eating disorder not otherwise specified patients) and ninety nine female control subjects participated in the study. The participanst were assessed using 88-items Defense styles questionnaire and 20-items Toronto Alexithymia Scale. Results: Eating disorder patients used significantly more maladaptive, image distorting and self-sacrifying defense styles and less adaptive style when compared to the control subjects. The patients had also greater levels of alexithymia but did not differ on alexithymia within the subtypes of eating disorder. Defense styles and alexithymia were associated in both groups. Alexithymic eating disorder patients are inclined to use acting out, somatization, phantasy, withdrawal and projection, while in control subjects alexithymia was associated with help-rejecting complaint and splitting. Conclusions: Female participants in our study who used more mature defenses were less alexithymic. Alexithymic persons tend to use different set of defenses. However, alexithymia was not associated with the choice of eating disorder symptoms.

defence styles; alexithymia; anorexia nervosa; bulimia nervosa

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