Teasing history and eating disorder features: an age- and body mass index-matched comparison of bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder.

The study examined whether a history of being teased about physical appearance is associated with differential patterns of current symptomatology in patients with bulimia nervosa (BN) as compared to patients with binge-eating disorder (BED). Thirty-two adult female patients with BN were compared with an age- and body mass index (BMI)-matched group of 32 adult female patients with BED. A battery of established instruments were used to assess physical appearance-related teasing history, current eating disorder features, body dissatisfaction, and psychological functioning (depression and self-esteem). BN patients reported a significantly higher frequency of having been teased about weight and size (WST) but a similar frequency of having been teased about general appearance (GAT) as the age- and BMI-matched BED patients. The two study groups did not differ significantly on current eating disorder features, body dissatisfaction, or psychological functioning, with the one exception that BN patients were characterized by significantly greater dietary restraint. Correlational analyses conducted separately within the BN and BED study groups revealed few significant associations between teasing history and eating disorder features in either study group. For the BN group, neither WST nor GAT was significantly associated with eating disorder features or body dissatisfaction, but both were significantly associated with lower self-esteem. For the age- and BMI-matched BED group, WST was not associated with eating disorder features, body dissatisfaction, or psychological functioning, but GAT was associated with higher dietary restraint and depression. Although physical appearance related teasing history was not associated with most eating disorder features for either study group, it appears that the association of different forms of teasing with psychological functioning may vary depending on the type of eating disorder symptomatology.