Original scientific paper

AGGRESSION AND IMPULSIVITY WITH IMPULSIVE BEHAVIOURS IN PATIENTS WITH PURGATIVE ANOREXIA AND BULIMIA NERVOSA

Bojan Zalar ; Psychiatric Clinic Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Urška Weber ; Psychiatric Clinic Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Karin Sernec ; Psychiatric Clinic Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia

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.

Keywords

anorexia nervosa; bulimia nervosa; eating disorders; bingeing-purging subtypes; aggression; impulsivity; impulsive behaviour

Hrčak ID:

76424

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/76424

Publication date:

31.3.2011.

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