Locus of control, psychopathology, and weight gain in juvenile anorexia nervosa

Based on a hypothesized disturbance in personal control and efficacy in anorexia nervosa, locus of control score in female adolescents with anorexia nervosa was compared to scores obtained from depressed and conduct disorder controls, and to adolescent female standardization norms. Results indicated that (a) as a group, anorectics were significantly more internal than each of the controls; (b) anorectics scoring in a more external direction showed greater denial of illness, fear of weight change, impulse dyscontrol, rigidity of self-imposed controls, use of purgatives and diuretics, and body-image distortion; and (c) more internal anorectics evidenced more rapid weight gain during treatment. Findings were discussed in terms of the psychopathology of anorexia nervosa and the empirical literature relating locus of control to personality functioning and symptom alleviation.