Patterns of interpersonal problems associated with binge eating disorder

To determine if interpersonal problems reported by individuals with binge eating disorder (BED) are distinct from psychiatric norms, and whether specific types of interpersonal problems are predictive of BED treatment outcome.

Subjects were 88 females with BED who completed a treatment trial for binge eating and weight loss. Pretreatment data on the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP) was compared (1) to that of psychiatric and nonpsychiatric norms and (2) for individuals with good versus poor outcome for eating disorder symptoms and weight loss.

BED patients reported less distress for problems with being too vindictive (hostile dominance) than psychiatric norms. Patients with good eating disorder outcome reported less distress for problems with social avoidance; patients with good weight loss outcome reported greater distress over problems with vindictiveness.

BED treatment may be enhanced by an initial focus on specific interpersonal difficulties.