The relation of personality characteristics to body image disturbances in juvenile anorexia nervosa: a multivariate analysis
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 18, 2026

Using the Activity-based Anorexia Rodent Model to Study the Neurobiological Basis of Anorexia Nervosa
Published on: October 22, 2015
Abstract:
The relationship between Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) factors and two separate measures of body image-estimation of body size and subjective report of distorted bodily experiences-was investigated using multivariate analyses in adolescent females with anorexia nervosa. A canonical correlational analysis of these data indicated the presence of two orthogonal dimensions defining the relation between personality and body image scores. In the first canonical variate, size overestimation and subjective body image distortion were both associated with MMPI scales reflecting somatization, anxiety, and atypical thinking; in the second variate, size overestimation alone was found to be associated with introversion and depression, while subjective body image distortion aligned with somatization and atypical thinking. The results suggest that different measures of body image disturbance are associated with different personality characteristics. Results are discussed in terms of the importance of personality factors in the pathogenesis of body image disturbances in anorexia nervosa.
Related Concept Videos
Personality Theory by Eysenck and Eysenck
In the extroversion/introversion dimension, highly extroverted people are sociable, outgoing, and easily connect with others. In contrast,...
Self-Report Tests of Personality
Anorexia Nervosa
Symptoms and Physical Effects
Individuals with anorexia nervosa commonly exhibit extreme...
Bulimia Nervosa
Binge Eating Disorders
Factors Influencing Attraction VI: Personality Traits

