Rorschach evaluation of adolescent bulimics

It has become apparent that the excessive dieting engaged in by many girls when they reach puberty frequently serves as an impetus for the later development of eating disorders. While the existence of bulimia nervosa has been well documented in late-adolescent girls, only minimal research has been devoted to delineating the personality characteristics that distinguish bulimics from normal adolescents. The present study utilized the Rorschach to contrast 12 DSM-III-R diagnosed adolescent bulimics with 12 female adolescent controls. Exner's (1986) Comprehensive System was used for scoring the protocols. Statistically significant group differences were detected on both the overall Depression and the Schizophrenia Indices, as well as on several subcomponents of each. Additionally, bulimics averaged a greater number of aggression responses. The data suggested that the adolescent bulimics were more depressed, self-punitive, and negativistic than their peers, and that they had more disordered thoughts, inaccurate perceptions, and impaired judgment. The cognitive disturbances were not limited to the areas of food and weight. The results are alarming for this young population, particularly since the severity of symptoms certainly will increase over time if left untreated. Recommendations are made for early symptom identification and intervention.