This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit an eLetter
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Right arrow Citing Articles via Scopus
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by WADE, T. D.
Right arrow Articles by KENDLER, K. S.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by WADE, T. D.
Right arrow Articles by KENDLER, K. S.
The British Journal of Psychiatry (2000) 177: 72-76
© 2000 The Royal College of Psychiatrists

Reliability of lifetime history of bulimia nervosa

Comparison with major depression

TRACEY D. WADE, PhD, CYNTHIA M. BULIK, PhD and KENNETH S. KENDLER, MD

Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Department ofPsychiatry, Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University,Richmond, Virginia, USA

Correspondence: Associate Professor Cynthia M. Bulik, Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Department of Psychiatry, Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, PO Box 980126, Richmond, VA 23298-0126, USA. Tel : 001 804 828 8133 ; Fax : 001 804 828 1471

Declaration of interest None.

Background Previous studies have found that the reliability of the lifetime prevalence of bulimia nervosa is low to moderate. However, the reasons for poor reliability remain unknown.

Aims We investigated the ability of a range of variables to predict reliability, sensitivity, and specificity of reporting of both bulimia nervosa and major depression.

Method Two interviews, approximately 5 years apart, were completed with 2163 women from the Virginia Twin Registry.

Results After accounting for different base rates, bulimia nervosa was shown to be as reliably reported as major depression. Consistent with previous studies of major depression, improved reliability of bulimia nervosa reporting is associated with more severe bulimic symptomatology.

Conclusions Frequent binge eating and the presence of salient behavioural markers such as vomiting and laxative misuse are associated with more reliable reporting of bulimia nervosa. In the absence of the use of fuller forms of assessment, brief interviews should utilise more than one prompt question, thus increasing the probability that memory of past disorders will be more successfully activated and accessed.




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Arch Gen PsychiatryHome page
T. D. Wade, R. D. Crosby, and N. G. Martin
Use of Latent Profile Analysis to Identify Eating Disorder Phenotypes in an Adult Australian Twin Cohort
Arch Gen Psychiatry, December 1, 2006; 63(12): 1377 - 1384.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Br. J. PsychiatryHome page
R. Palmer
Bulimia nervosa: 25 years on
The British Journal of Psychiatry, December 1, 2004; 185(6): 447 - 448.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Arch Gen PsychiatryHome page
T. D. Wade, C. M. Bulik, C. A. Prescott, and K. S. Kendler
Sex Influences on Shared Risk Factors for Bulimia Nervosa and Other Psychiatric Disorders
Arch Gen Psychiatry, March 1, 2004; 61(3): 251 - 256.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Psychosom. Med.Home page
A. Favaro, S. Ferrara, and P. Santonastaso
The Spectrum of Eating Disorders in Young Women: A Prevalence Study in a General Population Sample
Psychosom Med, July 1, 2003; 65(4): 701 - 708.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]