A repeated measure analysis of the serial color-word test in anorexia nervosa

Patterns of adaptation to conflict in anorexia nervosa were assessed with the Serial Color-Word Test. A group of teenage girls with anorexia nervosa (n = 34) was compared with an age-matched group of normal girls (n = 54). Measures of linear and nonlinear change of reading times during each of the five consecutive trials of the test were compared between groups by means of a multivariate model with doubly repeated measures. Multivariate testing indicated statistically significant main effects of group and time, as well as a group x time interaction. The groups did not differ on linear change, while anorexia patients had higher scores of nonlinear change. When the same analysis was performed covarying for total reading times, the main effect of group remained significant and anorexia patients had higher scores on linear change. The anorexia group seemed less able to master the conflict situation over time, a tendency which could be related to treatment outcomes.