Browsing by Author "Macdonald, Wendy"

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    Dissociation : Vol. 8, No. 3, p. 155-159 : Reported sexual abuse and bulimic symptoms: the mediating role of dissociation
    (Ridgeview Institute and the International Society for the Study of Dissociation, 1995-09) Everill, Joanne T.; Waller, Glenn; Macdonald, Wendy
    There is only inconclusive evidence of a specific association between a history of sexual abuse and diagnosable eating disorders. However, there is stronger support for a link between sexual abuse and bulimic symptomatology. The mediating factors in this relationship are still unclear. Dissociation appears to be a strong candidate, given its links to both early trauma and bulimic psychopathology. This study examines the role of dissociation as a potential mediating factor in the relationship between a reported history of sexual abuse and specific bulimic behaviors in 60 women with eating disorders. A reported history of sexual abuse was associated with greater dissociation and with a greater frequency of bingeing. In an Analysis of Covariance, dissociation accounted for the association between a reported history of sexual abuse and frequency of bingeing. Further research is required to determine the other factors involved in this relationship.