Eytan Bachar - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Eytan Bachar

Research paper thumbnail of Orientation towards freedom in normals, psychotics and psychosomatic patients

Research paper thumbnail of Attitudes Toward Life and Death and Suicidality Among Inpatient Female Adolescents With Eating Disorders

Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, Dec 1, 2013

This study investigated whether attitudes about life and death are associated with suicidal behav... more This study investigated whether attitudes about life and death are associated with suicidal behavior in eating disorders (EDs). We examined 43 nonsuicidal inpatients with EDs, 32 inpatients with EDs who attempted suicide, and 21 control participants with scales assessing attitudes to life and death, bodyrelated attitudes, core ED symptoms, depression, and anxiety. Both ED groups showed less attraction to life and more repulsion from life than did the control participants. The suicide attempters showed greater attraction to death, less repulsion from death, and more negative attitudes toward their body than did the nonsuicidal ED and control participants. Fear of life was associated with elevated depression, body-related problems, and childhood sexual abuse. Pathological attitudes toward death were associated with greater depression and body-related problems. Suicide attempts were found in the inpatients with EDs showing binge/ purge ED pathology and maladaptive attitudes toward death. This study suggests that whereas fear of life is a core feature of an ED, maladaptive attitudes toward death appear only in ED patients who have attempted suicide.

Research paper thumbnail of Narcissistic Vulnerability Scale

Research paper thumbnail of Reminiscing as a technique in the group psychotherapy of depression: A comparative study

British Journal of Clinical Psychology, Nov 1, 1991

Reminiscing as a technique of group psychotherapy for severely depressed hospitalized patients wa... more Reminiscing as a technique of group psychotherapy for severely depressed hospitalized patients was found by patients and staff to be more efficacious than the traditional reflective non-directive group psychotherapy approach. The therapeutic potential of reminiscing in combatting depressed mood was supported by the present findings. The suitability of reminiscing to the difficult task of handling groups of severely depressed hospitalized patients was demonstrated.

Research paper thumbnail of Long Lasting Blindness, Availability of Resources, and Early Aging

Perceptual and Motor Skills, Apr 1, 1997

The present paper studied the influence of long lasting blindness on processes of aging. It addre... more The present paper studied the influence of long lasting blindness on processes of aging. It addressed the broader issue of the effects of familiarity with and earlier experience of stress on the capacity of individuals to deal successfully with similar stressful situations at a later point of development. 75 chronically blind men and women, aged 45 to 65, were compared with 75 sighted individuals (matched by age, sex, and cultural origin) on scores on the Shanan Sentence Completion Technique, an interview designed to assess perception of change in various areas of everyday living, and on scores on the Wechsler-Bellevue Intelligence Test. Blind subjects showed less psychological and less social engagement with the outer world. Availability of resources, education, and assistance considerably reduced differences between the non-sighted and sighted subjects. These findings were interpreted as pointing to a potentially preventable process of premature aging.

Research paper thumbnail of Psychodynamic Self Psychology in the Treatment of Anorexia and Bulimia

Routledge eBooks, Dec 29, 2020

This book presents an implementation of psychodynamic self psychology in the treatment of anorexi... more This book presents an implementation of psychodynamic self psychology in the treatment of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, using a theoretical and therapeutic approach to examine the way that patients turn to food consumption or avoidance to supply needs they do not believe can be provided by human beings. The book starts with an overview of self psychology, presenting both the theory of self psychology and its specific application for the etiology and treatment of eating disorders. Featuring contributions from eating disorder professionals, the book then integrates this theory with 16 compelling case studies to explore how the eating-disordered patient is scared to take up space in a society that encourages precisely that. Professionals in the field of psychotherapy for eating disorders, as well as the entire community of psychotherapists, will benefit from the empirical capability of the theory to predict the development as well as remission from eating disorders.

Research paper thumbnail of At-one-ment: Beyond Transference and Countertransference

Psychoanalytic Perspectives

Research paper thumbnail of Psychodynamic Self Psychology in the Treatment of Anorexia and Bulimia

This book presents an implementation of psychodynamic self psychology in the treatment of anorexi... more This book presents an implementation of psychodynamic self psychology in the treatment of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, using a theoretical and therapeutic approach to examine the way that patients turn to food consumption or avoidance to supply needs they do not believe can be provided by human beings. The book starts with an overview of self psychology, presenting both the theory of self psychology and its specific application for the etiology and treatment of eating disorders. Featuring contributions from eating disorder professionals, the book then integrates this theory with 16 compelling case studies to explore how the eating-disordered patient is scared to take up space in a society that encourages precisely that. Professionals in the field of psychotherapy for eating disorders, as well as the entire community of psychotherapists, will benefit from the empirical capability of the theory to predict the development as well as remission from eating disorders.

Research paper thumbnail of Selfless self-transcendence in the clinical setting as a source of self-enhancement

The American Journal of Psychoanalysis, 2020

This paper examines the paradox of Selfless-Self-Transcendence, that is, how the self is enriched... more This paper examines the paradox of Selfless-Self-Transcendence, that is, how the self is enriched through self-renunciation. The article discusses what enables being carried away without forethought into selfless-self-transcendence and how, eventually, these inadvertent surrenders create therapeutic shifts. Using clinical vignettes, we suggest that the selfless move towards patients is part of a latent mutual process, with them, and it enables the restoration of the self to an enriched form. These depictions imply that like the patients, the analysts also encounter themselves in a truer way which allows them to become who they really are, through selflessly transcending themselves

Research paper thumbnail of Selflessness

Research paper thumbnail of Orientation towards freedom in normals, psychotics and psychosomatic patients

The Israel journal of psychiatry and related sciences, 1981

Research paper thumbnail of Long Lasting Blindness, Availability of Resources, and Early Aging

Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1997

The present paper studied the influence of long lasting blindness on processes of aging. It addre... more The present paper studied the influence of long lasting blindness on processes of aging. It addressed the broader issue of the effects of familiarity with and earlier experience of stress on the capacity of individuals to deal successfully with similar stressful situations at a later point of development. 75 chronically blind men and women, aged 45 to 65, were compared with 75 sighted individuals (matched by age, sex, and cultural origin) on scores on the Shanan Sentence Completion Technique, an interview designed to assess perception of change in various areas of everyday living, and on scores on the Wechsler-Bellevue Intelligence Test. Blind subjects showed less psychological and less social engagement with the outer world. Availability of resources, education, and assistance considerably reduced differences between the non-sighted and sighted subjects. These findings were interpreted as pointing to a potentially preventable process of premature aging.

Research paper thumbnail of Normal narcissism as a buffer against the development of PTSD and eating disorders (eLetter)

The British journal of psychiatry. Supplement

Research paper thumbnail of Demandingness and belligerence in hospitalized depressed Holocaust concentration camp survivors as perceived by the staff

The Israel journal of psychiatry and related sciences, 1995

Twelve staff members, blind to the hypotheses, rated depressed, hospitalized concentration camp s... more Twelve staff members, blind to the hypotheses, rated depressed, hospitalized concentration camp survivors, 40 years after their liberation, as more demanding, belligerent and irritating in their behavior towards staff in comparison with their matched counterparts. Survivors' behavior was discussed in terms of reenactment of traumatic scenes from their past. Staff shows consistent although not significant tendencies to dislike the survivors. Theoretical and clinical implications were drawn.

Research paper thumbnail of Aggression expression in grandchildren of Holocaust survivors--a comparative study

The Israel journal of psychiatry and related sciences, 1994

Ninety-seven Israeli children (59 girls and 38 boys), with a mean age 10.1 +/- 1.9, participated ... more Ninety-seven Israeli children (59 girls and 38 boys), with a mean age 10.1 +/- 1.9, participated in this study. Fifty-four of them were grandchildren of Holocaust survivors, and 43 were controls. All subjects were administered the EAS, a projective test designed to assess the extent of externalization of aggression in reaction to frustrating events. Grandchildren of Holocaust survivors did not differ in their expression of aggression from controls. As difficulties in externalizing aggression are considered in the literature to be a central factor in the maladaptation of survivors and subsequently in their sons and daughters, the results of the present study were interpreted to be one possible indication that transgenerational transmission of trauma has ceased in the third generation.

Research paper thumbnail of Reminiscing in depressed, ageing patients: Effect of ECT and antidepressants

International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 1990

Reminiscing, the mental activity of dwelling on the past, was quantified during a semistructured ... more Reminiscing, the mental activity of dwelling on the past, was quantified during a semistructured interview known for its reliability. Eighteen depressed, hospitalized patients (mean age 62 years; DSM-I11 major depressive disorder) were compared to 12 normals with equivalent demographic characteristics. The depressed patients prior to treatment had significantly lower reminiscing scores. When the interviews were repeated after 3 4 weeks, the 10 patients treated with ECT were significantly improved clinically and their reminiscing score had increased to normal levels. The eight patients who received antidepressant medication were non-responsive to treatment and reminiscing was further reduced during their second interview. The role of reminiscing and its therapeutic potential in ageing are discussed.

Research paper thumbnail of Reminiscing as a technique in the group psychotherapy of depression: A comparative study

British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 1991

Reminiscing as a technique of group psychotherapy for severely depressed hospitalized patients wa... more Reminiscing as a technique of group psychotherapy for severely depressed hospitalized patients was found by patients and staff to be more efficacious than the traditional reflective non-directive group psychotherapy approach. The therapeutic potential of reminiscing in combatting depressed mood was supported by the present findings. The suitability of reminiscing to the difficult task of handling groups of severely depressed hospitalized patients was demonstrated.

Research paper thumbnail of Correlates of coping based on the concept of the sociotype: a secondary data analysis of an Israeli National Survey

Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine, 2017

Background and objective: the sociotype and its domains-Individual Health (IH), Relationships (R)... more Background and objective: the sociotype and its domains-Individual Health (IH), Relationships (R) and Context (C)extends the bio-psychosocial model as an ecological construct that interacts with the genotype to determine phenotypic behavior throughout life. The sociotype framework enables classifying both the nature of stress and the varying responses to it. This paper provides empirical evidence for the sociotype and examines its relation to perceived coping. Design and methods: we conducted a secondary analysis of a cross-sectional survey on health inequalities in a representative Israeli Jewish sample of 1328 individuals, 30-70 yrs (45% men). Thirty variables were arranged into the above domains and composite scores calculated from sequential regression analyses. A coping score (CS) was determined from questions relating to mastery and coping efficacy. Results: The mean population CS was 5.09 (SD 1.03; range 1.50-7.20); 5.23 for men vs. 4.97 for women (p < .00001). On univariate analysis, CS was not related to age; there were positive associations with health behaviors, education and economic situation and negative ones with smoking, stress and living alone. Correlations between the three domains ranged from 0.353 to 0.421 (all at p < .001). The individual contributions of each of the sociotype domains to the CS was 31.5% for IH, 16.8% for R and 17.8% for C; when combined they explained 32% of the variance. This was higher in men (40.7%) than in women (26.0%), who valued context more than relationships. Conclusions: In this population, the domains of the sociotype were related to perceived coping: longitudinal studies can determine its best predictors and the significance of any gender differences. The sociotype ecological model requires further testing in different settings, and for other phenotypic behaviors and responses to stresses, such as coping with chronic disease (adherence to medication) (IH), bereavement (R) and economic hardships (C).

Research paper thumbnail of The Contributions of Self Psychology to the Treatment of Anorexia and Bulimia

American Journal of Psychotherapy, 1998

The major contributions of self psychology to the treatment of anorexia and bulimia include: (a) ... more The major contributions of self psychology to the treatment of anorexia and bulimia include: (a) the unique therapeutic stance of the therapist as a selfobject who tries to empathize with the patient from an experience-near position; (6) the conceptualization of food as fu&I1ing selfobject needs; and (c) the respect that the theo y attributes to the signifcance of the symptoms for the patient.

Research paper thumbnail of The complexity of the interaction between binge-eating and attention

PLOS ONE, 2019

Objective To investigate whether binge-eating in patients with eating disorders (EDs) is associat... more Objective To investigate whether binge-eating in patients with eating disorders (EDs) is associated with attentional deficits. Methods We studied ED patients with binge-eating (n = 51), no binge-eating (n = 59) and controls (n = 58). ED patients were assessed following the stabilization of weight and ED pathology. Attention assessment included evaluation of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis, the Adult ADHD Self-Report (ASRS) and ADHD Rating Scale-IV-Home Version (ADHD-RS) questionnaires, and attention functioning assessed with neuropsychological tools. The severity of eating-related pathology, depression, anxiety and obsessionality was also monitored. Results Patients with binge-eating showed more ADHD symptomatology on the ADHD-RS compared with non-binge-eating patients. No differences were found between binge-eating and non-binge-eating patients in ADHD diagnosis and neuropsychological functioning. Among the specific ED subtypes, patients with anorexia nervosa binge/purge type (AN-B/P) showed the highest rates of ADHD symptomatology on the ADHD-RS, and were characterized with sustained attention deficits. Conclusion Binge-eating is not associated with attention deficits as measured by objective neuropsychological tools. Nonetheless, it is associated with attentional difficulties as measured with

Research paper thumbnail of Orientation towards freedom in normals, psychotics and psychosomatic patients

Research paper thumbnail of Attitudes Toward Life and Death and Suicidality Among Inpatient Female Adolescents With Eating Disorders

Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, Dec 1, 2013

This study investigated whether attitudes about life and death are associated with suicidal behav... more This study investigated whether attitudes about life and death are associated with suicidal behavior in eating disorders (EDs). We examined 43 nonsuicidal inpatients with EDs, 32 inpatients with EDs who attempted suicide, and 21 control participants with scales assessing attitudes to life and death, bodyrelated attitudes, core ED symptoms, depression, and anxiety. Both ED groups showed less attraction to life and more repulsion from life than did the control participants. The suicide attempters showed greater attraction to death, less repulsion from death, and more negative attitudes toward their body than did the nonsuicidal ED and control participants. Fear of life was associated with elevated depression, body-related problems, and childhood sexual abuse. Pathological attitudes toward death were associated with greater depression and body-related problems. Suicide attempts were found in the inpatients with EDs showing binge/ purge ED pathology and maladaptive attitudes toward death. This study suggests that whereas fear of life is a core feature of an ED, maladaptive attitudes toward death appear only in ED patients who have attempted suicide.

Research paper thumbnail of Narcissistic Vulnerability Scale

Research paper thumbnail of Reminiscing as a technique in the group psychotherapy of depression: A comparative study

British Journal of Clinical Psychology, Nov 1, 1991

Reminiscing as a technique of group psychotherapy for severely depressed hospitalized patients wa... more Reminiscing as a technique of group psychotherapy for severely depressed hospitalized patients was found by patients and staff to be more efficacious than the traditional reflective non-directive group psychotherapy approach. The therapeutic potential of reminiscing in combatting depressed mood was supported by the present findings. The suitability of reminiscing to the difficult task of handling groups of severely depressed hospitalized patients was demonstrated.

Research paper thumbnail of Long Lasting Blindness, Availability of Resources, and Early Aging

Perceptual and Motor Skills, Apr 1, 1997

The present paper studied the influence of long lasting blindness on processes of aging. It addre... more The present paper studied the influence of long lasting blindness on processes of aging. It addressed the broader issue of the effects of familiarity with and earlier experience of stress on the capacity of individuals to deal successfully with similar stressful situations at a later point of development. 75 chronically blind men and women, aged 45 to 65, were compared with 75 sighted individuals (matched by age, sex, and cultural origin) on scores on the Shanan Sentence Completion Technique, an interview designed to assess perception of change in various areas of everyday living, and on scores on the Wechsler-Bellevue Intelligence Test. Blind subjects showed less psychological and less social engagement with the outer world. Availability of resources, education, and assistance considerably reduced differences between the non-sighted and sighted subjects. These findings were interpreted as pointing to a potentially preventable process of premature aging.

Research paper thumbnail of Psychodynamic Self Psychology in the Treatment of Anorexia and Bulimia

Routledge eBooks, Dec 29, 2020

This book presents an implementation of psychodynamic self psychology in the treatment of anorexi... more This book presents an implementation of psychodynamic self psychology in the treatment of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, using a theoretical and therapeutic approach to examine the way that patients turn to food consumption or avoidance to supply needs they do not believe can be provided by human beings. The book starts with an overview of self psychology, presenting both the theory of self psychology and its specific application for the etiology and treatment of eating disorders. Featuring contributions from eating disorder professionals, the book then integrates this theory with 16 compelling case studies to explore how the eating-disordered patient is scared to take up space in a society that encourages precisely that. Professionals in the field of psychotherapy for eating disorders, as well as the entire community of psychotherapists, will benefit from the empirical capability of the theory to predict the development as well as remission from eating disorders.

Research paper thumbnail of At-one-ment: Beyond Transference and Countertransference

Psychoanalytic Perspectives

Research paper thumbnail of Psychodynamic Self Psychology in the Treatment of Anorexia and Bulimia

This book presents an implementation of psychodynamic self psychology in the treatment of anorexi... more This book presents an implementation of psychodynamic self psychology in the treatment of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, using a theoretical and therapeutic approach to examine the way that patients turn to food consumption or avoidance to supply needs they do not believe can be provided by human beings. The book starts with an overview of self psychology, presenting both the theory of self psychology and its specific application for the etiology and treatment of eating disorders. Featuring contributions from eating disorder professionals, the book then integrates this theory with 16 compelling case studies to explore how the eating-disordered patient is scared to take up space in a society that encourages precisely that. Professionals in the field of psychotherapy for eating disorders, as well as the entire community of psychotherapists, will benefit from the empirical capability of the theory to predict the development as well as remission from eating disorders.

Research paper thumbnail of Selfless self-transcendence in the clinical setting as a source of self-enhancement

The American Journal of Psychoanalysis, 2020

This paper examines the paradox of Selfless-Self-Transcendence, that is, how the self is enriched... more This paper examines the paradox of Selfless-Self-Transcendence, that is, how the self is enriched through self-renunciation. The article discusses what enables being carried away without forethought into selfless-self-transcendence and how, eventually, these inadvertent surrenders create therapeutic shifts. Using clinical vignettes, we suggest that the selfless move towards patients is part of a latent mutual process, with them, and it enables the restoration of the self to an enriched form. These depictions imply that like the patients, the analysts also encounter themselves in a truer way which allows them to become who they really are, through selflessly transcending themselves

Research paper thumbnail of Selflessness

Research paper thumbnail of Orientation towards freedom in normals, psychotics and psychosomatic patients

The Israel journal of psychiatry and related sciences, 1981

Research paper thumbnail of Long Lasting Blindness, Availability of Resources, and Early Aging

Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1997

The present paper studied the influence of long lasting blindness on processes of aging. It addre... more The present paper studied the influence of long lasting blindness on processes of aging. It addressed the broader issue of the effects of familiarity with and earlier experience of stress on the capacity of individuals to deal successfully with similar stressful situations at a later point of development. 75 chronically blind men and women, aged 45 to 65, were compared with 75 sighted individuals (matched by age, sex, and cultural origin) on scores on the Shanan Sentence Completion Technique, an interview designed to assess perception of change in various areas of everyday living, and on scores on the Wechsler-Bellevue Intelligence Test. Blind subjects showed less psychological and less social engagement with the outer world. Availability of resources, education, and assistance considerably reduced differences between the non-sighted and sighted subjects. These findings were interpreted as pointing to a potentially preventable process of premature aging.

Research paper thumbnail of Normal narcissism as a buffer against the development of PTSD and eating disorders (eLetter)

The British journal of psychiatry. Supplement

Research paper thumbnail of Demandingness and belligerence in hospitalized depressed Holocaust concentration camp survivors as perceived by the staff

The Israel journal of psychiatry and related sciences, 1995

Twelve staff members, blind to the hypotheses, rated depressed, hospitalized concentration camp s... more Twelve staff members, blind to the hypotheses, rated depressed, hospitalized concentration camp survivors, 40 years after their liberation, as more demanding, belligerent and irritating in their behavior towards staff in comparison with their matched counterparts. Survivors' behavior was discussed in terms of reenactment of traumatic scenes from their past. Staff shows consistent although not significant tendencies to dislike the survivors. Theoretical and clinical implications were drawn.

Research paper thumbnail of Aggression expression in grandchildren of Holocaust survivors--a comparative study

The Israel journal of psychiatry and related sciences, 1994

Ninety-seven Israeli children (59 girls and 38 boys), with a mean age 10.1 +/- 1.9, participated ... more Ninety-seven Israeli children (59 girls and 38 boys), with a mean age 10.1 +/- 1.9, participated in this study. Fifty-four of them were grandchildren of Holocaust survivors, and 43 were controls. All subjects were administered the EAS, a projective test designed to assess the extent of externalization of aggression in reaction to frustrating events. Grandchildren of Holocaust survivors did not differ in their expression of aggression from controls. As difficulties in externalizing aggression are considered in the literature to be a central factor in the maladaptation of survivors and subsequently in their sons and daughters, the results of the present study were interpreted to be one possible indication that transgenerational transmission of trauma has ceased in the third generation.

Research paper thumbnail of Reminiscing in depressed, ageing patients: Effect of ECT and antidepressants

International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 1990

Reminiscing, the mental activity of dwelling on the past, was quantified during a semistructured ... more Reminiscing, the mental activity of dwelling on the past, was quantified during a semistructured interview known for its reliability. Eighteen depressed, hospitalized patients (mean age 62 years; DSM-I11 major depressive disorder) were compared to 12 normals with equivalent demographic characteristics. The depressed patients prior to treatment had significantly lower reminiscing scores. When the interviews were repeated after 3 4 weeks, the 10 patients treated with ECT were significantly improved clinically and their reminiscing score had increased to normal levels. The eight patients who received antidepressant medication were non-responsive to treatment and reminiscing was further reduced during their second interview. The role of reminiscing and its therapeutic potential in ageing are discussed.

Research paper thumbnail of Reminiscing as a technique in the group psychotherapy of depression: A comparative study

British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 1991

Reminiscing as a technique of group psychotherapy for severely depressed hospitalized patients wa... more Reminiscing as a technique of group psychotherapy for severely depressed hospitalized patients was found by patients and staff to be more efficacious than the traditional reflective non-directive group psychotherapy approach. The therapeutic potential of reminiscing in combatting depressed mood was supported by the present findings. The suitability of reminiscing to the difficult task of handling groups of severely depressed hospitalized patients was demonstrated.

Research paper thumbnail of Correlates of coping based on the concept of the sociotype: a secondary data analysis of an Israeli National Survey

Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine, 2017

Background and objective: the sociotype and its domains-Individual Health (IH), Relationships (R)... more Background and objective: the sociotype and its domains-Individual Health (IH), Relationships (R) and Context (C)extends the bio-psychosocial model as an ecological construct that interacts with the genotype to determine phenotypic behavior throughout life. The sociotype framework enables classifying both the nature of stress and the varying responses to it. This paper provides empirical evidence for the sociotype and examines its relation to perceived coping. Design and methods: we conducted a secondary analysis of a cross-sectional survey on health inequalities in a representative Israeli Jewish sample of 1328 individuals, 30-70 yrs (45% men). Thirty variables were arranged into the above domains and composite scores calculated from sequential regression analyses. A coping score (CS) was determined from questions relating to mastery and coping efficacy. Results: The mean population CS was 5.09 (SD 1.03; range 1.50-7.20); 5.23 for men vs. 4.97 for women (p < .00001). On univariate analysis, CS was not related to age; there were positive associations with health behaviors, education and economic situation and negative ones with smoking, stress and living alone. Correlations between the three domains ranged from 0.353 to 0.421 (all at p < .001). The individual contributions of each of the sociotype domains to the CS was 31.5% for IH, 16.8% for R and 17.8% for C; when combined they explained 32% of the variance. This was higher in men (40.7%) than in women (26.0%), who valued context more than relationships. Conclusions: In this population, the domains of the sociotype were related to perceived coping: longitudinal studies can determine its best predictors and the significance of any gender differences. The sociotype ecological model requires further testing in different settings, and for other phenotypic behaviors and responses to stresses, such as coping with chronic disease (adherence to medication) (IH), bereavement (R) and economic hardships (C).

Research paper thumbnail of The Contributions of Self Psychology to the Treatment of Anorexia and Bulimia

American Journal of Psychotherapy, 1998

The major contributions of self psychology to the treatment of anorexia and bulimia include: (a) ... more The major contributions of self psychology to the treatment of anorexia and bulimia include: (a) the unique therapeutic stance of the therapist as a selfobject who tries to empathize with the patient from an experience-near position; (6) the conceptualization of food as fu&I1ing selfobject needs; and (c) the respect that the theo y attributes to the signifcance of the symptoms for the patient.

Research paper thumbnail of The complexity of the interaction between binge-eating and attention

PLOS ONE, 2019

Objective To investigate whether binge-eating in patients with eating disorders (EDs) is associat... more Objective To investigate whether binge-eating in patients with eating disorders (EDs) is associated with attentional deficits. Methods We studied ED patients with binge-eating (n = 51), no binge-eating (n = 59) and controls (n = 58). ED patients were assessed following the stabilization of weight and ED pathology. Attention assessment included evaluation of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis, the Adult ADHD Self-Report (ASRS) and ADHD Rating Scale-IV-Home Version (ADHD-RS) questionnaires, and attention functioning assessed with neuropsychological tools. The severity of eating-related pathology, depression, anxiety and obsessionality was also monitored. Results Patients with binge-eating showed more ADHD symptomatology on the ADHD-RS compared with non-binge-eating patients. No differences were found between binge-eating and non-binge-eating patients in ADHD diagnosis and neuropsychological functioning. Among the specific ED subtypes, patients with anorexia nervosa binge/purge type (AN-B/P) showed the highest rates of ADHD symptomatology on the ADHD-RS, and were characterized with sustained attention deficits. Conclusion Binge-eating is not associated with attention deficits as measured by objective neuropsychological tools. Nonetheless, it is associated with attentional difficulties as measured with