| Binge eating is increasingly prevalent in our society and can be difficult, if not impossible, to treat. This study examined a population of 80 women aged 35 and older recovering from binge eating through the Greysheeters Anonymous program, a 12-step program modeled after Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), in comparison with 80 women without eating disorders. This study investigated object relations functioning, the capacity for self-regulation, and themes from participants' earliest childhood memories.; This study investigated the hypotheses that individuals with histories of binge eating are characterized by disturbances in object relations, self-regulatory deficits, and have more prevalent histories of empathic failures on the part of their caretakers than normal eaters. It was hypothesized that the length of abstinence from binge eating would lead to significantly higher levels of self-regulatory and object relational functioning among the eating disorder group. It was also hypothesized that an earlier onset of binge eating would correlate to a lower level of self-regulatory and object relational functioning. Finally, the study sought to gain a greater understanding of participants' relational world by examining salient themes which emerged from the earliest memories of their parents.; Individuals from the binge eating group evidenced significantly more disturbance than the normal group on the Insecure Attachment subscale of the BORI and on the Self-Regulation scale, and approached significance on the Social Incompetence subscale of the BORI. These results suggest the presence of object relational and self-regulatory deficits in women with chronic binge eating histories as compared of women without eating disorder histories.; The length of time recovering binge eaters were able to abstain from binge eating correlated to a higher level of functioning on almost all object relational subscales (Social Incompetence, Egocentricity, Alienation) as well as with self-regulatory functioning.; Subjects recovering from binge eating had early memories in which abuse, deprivation, neglect, alcoholism, emotional impingement, and sadness were more prevalent than in those of normal eaters. These early memories demonstrated anecdotal support for the hypothesized relationship between binge eating and relational failures in the earliest relationships with primary caregivers. |
