Defense mechanisms in a community-based sample of female adolescents with partial eating disorders

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to assess whether female adolescents diagnosed with partial eating disorders (EDs) will show less adaptive defense mechanisms compared to female controls with no-ED. Methods: The following questionnaires were administered to 423 female high-school students: The Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), the Defense Style Questionnaire (DSQ), and Life Style Index (LSI) (both tapping defense mechanisms), and a structured questionnaire assessing eating-related issues. Weight and height were also recorded. Partial anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) were defined with the combination of a maladaptive EAT score and fulfillment of adapted DSM-IV criteria. Results: Compared to non-ED controls, participants with partial AN and partial BN used more immature defenses, including the DSQ-immature defense style (only those with partial BN) and LSI-regression, as well as more neurotic defenses, namely the DSQ-neurotic defense style, and LSI-compensation and displacement. Conclusions: The combined use of immature and neurotic defenses may be associated with a greater risk to develop a partial ED in adolescent females.