Athletes with Eating Disorders: Analysis of Their Clinical Characteristics, Psychopathology and Response to Treatment.
Ana Ibáñez-Caparrós, Isabel Sánchez, Roser Granero, Susana Jiménez-Murcia, Magda Rosinska, Ansgar Thiel, Stephan Zipfel, Joan de Pablo, Lucia Camacho-Barcia, Fernando Fernandez-Aranda
Author Information
Ana Ibáñez-Caparrós: Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, 08916 Badalona, Spain.
Isabel Sánchez: Clinical Psychology Unit, Bellvitge University Hospital, 08907 Barcelona, Spain.
Roser Granero: Psychoneurobiology of Eating and Addictive Behaviors Group, Neurosciences Programme, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), 08908 Barcelona, Spain. ORCID
Susana Jiménez-Murcia: Clinical Psychology Unit, Bellvitge University Hospital, 08907 Barcelona, Spain. ORCID
Magda Rosinska: Body Image Assessment and Intervention Unit, Department of Clinical Psychology and Health, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Spain.
Ansgar Thiel: Interfaculty Research Institute for Sport and Physical Activity, University of Tübingen, 72074 Tübingen, Germany. ORCID
Stephan Zipfel: Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, University of Tübingen, 72074 Tübingen, Germany. ORCID
Joan de Pablo: Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, 08916 Badalona, Spain.
Lucia Camacho-Barcia: Clinical Psychology Unit, Bellvitge University Hospital, 08907 Barcelona, Spain. ORCID
Fernando Fernandez-Aranda: Clinical Psychology Unit, Bellvitge University Hospital, 08907 Barcelona, Spain. ORCID
Eating Disorders (ED) have frequently been described among athletes. However, their specific features and therapy responses are lacking in the literature. The aims of this article were to compare clinical, psychopathological and personality traits between ED patients who were professional athletes (ED-A) with those who were not (ED-NA) and to explore differences in response to treatment. The sample comprised = 104 patients with ED ( = 52 ED-A and = 52 matched ED-NA) diagnosed according to DSM-5 criteria. Evaluation consisted of a semi-structured face-to-face clinical interview conducted by expert clinicians and a psychometric battery. Treatment outcome was evaluated when the treatment program ended. ED-A patients showed less body dissatisfaction and psychological distress. No differences were found in treatment outcome among the groups. Within the ED-A group, those participants who performed individual sport activities and aesthetic sports presented higher eating psychopathology, more general psychopathology, differential personality traits and poor therapy outcome. Individual and aesthetic sports presented more severity and worse prognosis. Although usual treatment for ED might be similarly effective in ED-A and ED-NA, it might be important to develop preventive and early detection programs involving sports physicians and psychologists, coaches and family throughout the entire athletic career and afterwards.
