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Personality disorder traits, obsessive ideation and perfectionism 20 years after adolescent-onset anorexia nervosa: a recovered study

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Abstract

Purpose

The many studies examining the relationship between anorexia nervosa (AN) and personality abnormalities have observed high comorbidity. However, no definitive studies to date have established whether there is a causal connection or whether it is a complication. The current study aimed to explore the nature of the relationship between personality disorder (PD) traits, obsessionality and perfectionism, using a study design that allows the testing of some comorbidity models.

Methods

Twenty-nine women were recruited from a group of former AN patients treated during their adolescence in a specialized unit around 20 years before the time of this study. They were divided into two groups according to the current presence of eating disorder (ED) symptoms (current-ED, n = 11; recovered, n = 18). Both groups were compared to a matched control group (n = 29) regarding current PD traits, obsessive beliefs and perfectionism.

Results

Borderline PD traits, most cluster C PD traits and overestimation of threat were more common in the current-ED group than in the control and recovered groups. Obsessive–compulsive PD traits, intolerance of uncertainty, and perfectionism were also significantly more prevalent in the current-ED group compared to controls but did not reach significance when compared to the recovered group. No significant differences were found between the recovered and control groups.

Conclusion

Our results mostly support the personality abnormalities observed as a transient effect related to the presence of ED psychopathology in patients with adolescent-onset AN.

Level of evidence

Level III, case–control analytic studies.

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Data availability

The datasets generated and/or analyzed in the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

Supported in part by funding from the Generalitat de Catalunya to the Child Psychiatry and Psychology Group (2017 SGR 881).

Funding

This study was funded by the Instituto de la Mujer, Ministerio de Igualdad, Spain (grant number 234/09).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Neuropsychiatry and Addictions, Parc de Salut Mar de Barcelona, Llull, 410, 08019, Barcelona, Spain

    Miguel Gárriz

  2. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology, 2017SGR881, Clinic Institute of Neurosciences, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    Susana Andrés-Perpiñá, Maria Teresa Plana, Itziar Flamarique, Laia Julià & Josefina Castro-Fornieles

  3. IDIBAPS, CIBERSAM, Department of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    Susana Andrés-Perpiñá, Maria Teresa Plana, Itziar Flamarique & Josefina Castro-Fornieles

  4. Barcelona, Spain

    Sonia Romero

  5. Fundació Clínic per la Recerca Biomèdica, Barcelona, Spain

    Laia Julià

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  1. Miguel Gárriz
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  2. Susana Andrés-Perpiñá
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Correspondence to Miguel Gárriz.

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This research study was approved by the Clinical Research Ethics Committee of the Hospital Clínic de Barcelona (CEIC Hospital Clínic). The authors assert that all procedures contributing to this work comply with the ethical standards of the relevant national and institutional committees on human experimentation and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, revised in 2008.

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Gárriz, M., Andrés-Perpiñá, S., Plana, M.T. et al. Personality disorder traits, obsessive ideation and perfectionism 20 years after adolescent-onset anorexia nervosa: a recovered study. Eat Weight Disord 26, 667–677 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-020-00906-7

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