MCMI-II profiles of women with eating disorders: A cluster analytic investigation

Dorothy L. Espelage, Suzanne E. Mazzeo, Roberta Sherman, Ron Thompson

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

A three-factor model of personality pathology was investigated in a clinical sample of 183 female patients in an outpatient eating disorders treatment program. Cluster analysis of MCMI-II personality scales (Millon, 1987) yielded three distinct personality profiles, which were consistent with previous studies. First, 16.9% of the sample comprised a High Functioning cluster, which manifested no clinical elevations on the MCMI-II and had significantly lower scores on the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI; Garner, 1991) scales than the other two clusters. Second, 49.1% of the sample comprised an Undercontrolled/Dysregulated cluster. Finally, the remaining 34% of the sample comprised an Overcontrolled/Avoidant cluster. This final cluster had significantly higher EDI Ineffectiveness scale scores than the Undercontrolled/Dysregulated cluster group. Cluster membership was not associated with eating disorder subtype, suggesting that there is considerable variance in personality pathology within eating disorder diagnostic categories.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)453-463
Number of pages11
JournalJournal of Personality Disorders
Volume16
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 2002

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Clinical Psychology
  • Psychiatry and Mental health

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