Dysregulated behaviors in bulimia nervosa – a case-control study

Background: Bulimia nervosa is often related to self-control difficulties and to self-harm behaviors. This study aimed to evaluate the frequency of self-injurious behavior, suicide attempts and other behaviors’ related to impulsivity in bulimia nervosa, using two control groups (a healthy group and a general psychiatric group), and also to examine the association between sexual abuse and parasuicide behaviours in bulimia nervosa. Method: Women (N =233) aged between 13 to 38 years old were evaluated using the Risk Factors for Eating Disorders Interview Schedule (RFI; Fairburn et al., 1998). Results: Participants with bulimia nervosa reported more self-injurious behaviours, suicide attempts by drug intake, and poor control in smoking and drugs use compared with participants in both control groups. Bulimia nervosa group also presented more spending behaviors’ compared with the general psychiatric control group. No association was found between sexual abuse and parasuicide behaviors amongst bulimia nervosa participants. Conclusions: This study concluded that BN is commonly related to self-harm behaviours, and clinicians must take into account the multi-impulsive spectrum behaviours of BN in their evaluation and treatment of BN.