Perceived Conflict and Support Among Women with Bulimia Nervosa Compared to Women with Depression and Healthy Controls: An Experimental Manipulation

Abstract

Objective: Women with bulimia nervosa (BN) often present with interpersonal difficulties. It is unknown whether these difficulties primarily are based on distorted social perceptions, and whether they are unique to BN. The current study used a repeated-measures design to compare perceptions of interpersonal interactions for participants with BN, depression (DEP), and healthy controls (HCs). We hypothesized that women with BN would perceive more conflict and less support than HCs. Analyses comparing BN and DEP were exploratory. Method: Participants with BN (n = 27) or DEP (n = 26) and HCs (n = 27) rated perceived conflict and support for 24 vignettes depicting social interactions that varied in levels of these two constructs. Participants also completed relationship quality/satisfaction questionnaires. Results: Multilevel model analyses revealed that the BN group perceived greater conflict relative to HCs. There also were significant interactions, with BN participants more greatly impacted by high support. There were no differences between DEP and BN groups. Discussion: Overall, BN participants perceived more conflict than HCs, but differences were attenuated when level of social support was high. Helping women with BN tolerate discomfort associated with any amount of perceived conflict and/or low support may be an important treatment target.