Relationship of temperament and perceptions of nonshared environment in bulimia nervosa

Abstract

Objective: Examine the relationship between temperament variables and perceptions of nonshared environment as they relate to bulimia nervosa.

Method: Fifty-seven adult women completed the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire and the Sibling Inventory of Differential Experience. These measures provided assessments of frequently studied temperament traits as well as nonshared environmental factors believed to be associated with psychopathology and temperament.

Results: Bulimic subjects showed higher levels of harm avoidance than did control subjects. Also, bulimic subjects perceived their fathers as less affectionate and more controlling than control subjects. Among bulimics, high levels of harm avoidance were associated with high levels of maternal affection and low levels of maternal control. Similarly, among bulimics, high levels of novelty seeking were more likely to be associated with decreased paternal control than was true for control subjects.

Discussion: These findings highlight the possible relationship between particular temperamental variables and associated family responses in bulimia nervosa.