Eating disorder psychopathology as a marker of psychosocial distress and suicide risk in female and male adolescent psychiatric inpatients

Objective

The aim of this study was to examine psychosocial correlates of specific aspects of eating disorder (ED) psychopathology (ie, dietary restriction, body dissatisfaction, binge eating, and self-induced vomiting) in psychiatrically hospitalized adolescent girls and boys.

Method

A total of 492 psychiatric inpatients (286 adolescent girls and 206 adolescent boys), aged 12 to 19 years, completed self-report measures of psychosocial and behavioral functioning, including measures of suicide risk and ED psychopathology. Associations between ED psychopathology and psychosocial functioning were examined separately by sex and after controlling for depressive/negative affect using Beck Depression Inventory scores.

Results

Among the adolescent boys and girls, after controlling for depressive/negative affect, ED psychopathology was significantly associated with anxiety, low self-esteem, and current distress regarding childhood abuse. Among adolescent girls, after controlling for depressive/negative affect, ED psychopathology was significantly related to hopelessness and suicidality. Among adolescent boys, after controlling for depressive/negative affect, ED psychopathology was positively related to self-reported history of sexual abuse and various externalizing problems (drug abuse, violence, and impulsivity).

Conclusion

In psychiatrically hospitalized adolescents, ED psychopathology may be an important marker of broad psychosocial distress and behavioral problems among girls and boys, although the nature of the specific associations differs by sex.