Patterns of adaptation to conflict in bulimia and temporo-mandibular joint disorder

Two age- and education-matched groups of 45 women, respectively, with the diagnoses of Bulimia and of Temporo-mandibular Joint Disorder, were administered the Serial Color-Word Test, to assess differences in the pattern of adaptation to conflict (the latter being represented by the Stroop task). Three types of norms (clinical, nonclinical and based on reading times) and the functions derived from a previous cluster analysis were employed. Comparisons utilizing clinical norms and cluster analytical functions did not significantly differentiate between groups. According to both nonclinical norms and norms based on reading times, the two clinical groups were significantly different concerning the distribution of adaptation patterns. Bulimic patients resorted more often to the Dissociative pattern (high nonlinear change of reading times), while temporomandibular patients were characterized by the Cumulative pattern (high linear change) and, secondarily, by the Cumulative-Dissociative pattern (high linear and nonlinear change). Intergroup differences were more marked when employing the new norms based on reading times.