Johan Vanderlinden

KU Leuven | ku leuven · Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences

Numerous studies addressed the topic of behavioral and symptomatic changes in eating disorders. Rates of transition vary widely across studies, ranging from 0 to 70.8%, depending on the diagnoses taken into account and the study design. Evidence shows that the specific transition from restrictive-type anorexia nervosa (AN-R) to disorders involving...

Introduction: Epidemiologic information on sociodemographic and clinical characteristics in eating disorders in Western European countries are scarce. Purpose: In this study, we report demographic and clinical characteristics of eating disorder (ED) patients undergoing treatment in five specialized ED centers in Flanders (Belgium). Method: Data f...

IntroductionEpidemiologic information on sociodemographic and clinical characteristics in eating disorders in Western European countries are scarce.PurposeIn this study, we report demographic and clinical characteristics of eating disorder (ED) patients undergoing treatment in five specialized ED centers in Flanders (Belgium).Method Data from 642 E...

Background: Many people with eating disorders often report having suffered some kind of childhood trauma. For this reason, many studies have attempted to explore the mediating factors between traumatic experiences and the development of eating disorders. The aim of our study is to conduct a systematic review of published works on the mediating fac...

Background: many people with different diagnoses, including eating disorders, have suffered traumatic experiences in childhood. Method: a case-control study was performed. The objective of this study was to evaluate the presence of child trauma and dissociative symptoms in people with eating disorders and compare the results obtained with a cont...

Background: Binge eating disorder (BED) is commonly associated with a history of trauma. Yet, there is little insight into the potential effect that trauma, dissociation, and depressive symptoms may have on the outcome of treatment interventions. Methods: A total of 142 treatment-seeking patients admitted with a diagnosis of DSM-5 BED (88% femal...

Background: Binge eating and purging behaviors (BPB) are common among college students, but evidence is scant on prevalence and associations of BPB with mental health problems and objective academic performance. This study aims to investigate: (a) 12-month prevalence of BPB among college first-year students, (b) comorbidity patterns of BPB with va...

Questo articolo presenta una revisione dello stato dell'arte riguardo alla prezensa di dissciazione e disturbi dissociativi e alle loro relazione con esperienze traumatiche nei pazienti con disturbi alimentari. Oltre ai risultati piu importanti della ricerca, sono riassunti gli approcci attuali e alcune linee guida cliniche.

The aim of the current study is to evaluate the presence of childhood trauma, psychological and somatoform dissociation in obese (OB) and overweight patients with and without binge eating disorder (BED). In total, 34 patients with BED diagnosis were compared with a sex, age and social class matched sample of 34 OB patients without diagnosis of BED...

ABSTRACT: The aim of the current study is to evaluate the presence of childhood trauma, psychological and somatoform dissociation in obese and overweight patients with and without binge eating disorder (BED). 34 patients with BED diagnosis, were compared with a sex, age and social class matched sample of 34 obese patients (OB) without diagnosis of...

Overwhelming evidence exists that traumatic experiences leave traces in our minds and bodies. Traumatic experiences such as sexual, physical and emotional abuse have a negative impact on our capacities to relate to and trust other people, but also on the neurobiological functioning of our mind. They also affect our immune systems (Van Der Kolk, 201...

Since 1980, the diagnostic criteria of patients with eating disorders (ED) have changed over the years. Are these changes also expressed in the clinical features of the ED patients? A cross‐sectional sample was drawn consisting of 100 consecutive female patients' files diagnosed with anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) and bulimia nervos...

The aim of the current study is to evaluate the presence of childhood trauma, psychoform and somatoform dissociation in eating disorders (ED). 86 ED outpatients participated in this study, 20 of them were diagnosed with restrictive anorexia (AN-R), 10 of them with anorexia nervosa binge-purging subtypes (AN-B), 25 with bulimia nervosa (BN), and 31...

Individuals with eating disorders (EDs) often report a history of early traumatization. Although great attention has been paid to certain types of trauma, such as sexual and emotional abuse, less is known about the occurrence of childhood neglect in individuals with EDs. The aim of the present meta-analysis is to provide an estimate of the prevalen...

Background and aims Several studies report a positive association between adverse life experiences and adult obesity. Despite the high comorbidity between binge eating disorder (BED) and obesity, few authors have studied the link between trauma and BED. In this review the association between exposure to adverse life experiences and a risk for the d...

Introduction A high proportion of individuals with eating disorders (EDs) report childhood abuse and neglect. The prevalence of traumatic events in ED patients has been extensively investigated; less is known about their self-perceived–and reported–severity. Objectives/Aims: We aimed to assess in ED patients vs. healthy controls the severity, i.e.,...

Introduction Individuals with eating disorders (EDs) often report a history of early traumatization. Although a great attention has been paid to sexual and physical trauma, less is known about emotional one, especially neglect. Objectives/aims We aimed to estimate the prevalence of sexual, physical, and emotional trauma–occurring under 18 years of...

Book chapter in : Handbook of dissociation edited by Larry K. Michelson and William Ray, Plenum Press NY, 1996

In the last decades, both the diagnosis and the treatment of dissociative disorders have received much attention in the field of mental disorders. According to DSM-5, the essential characteristic of dissociative disorders is a disruption in the usually integrated functions of consciousness, memory, identity, or perception of the environment. Dissoc...

Background: In recent years, research has called for an increased emphasis on clinical outcomes that are meaningful to patients with binge eating disorder (BED). This cross-sectional study examined the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) and its relation to clinical and demographic factors in BED patients. Subjects and methods: Thirty-two pat...

Purpose: The primary aim was to compare the functional exercise capacity between obese treatment-seeking people with and without binge eating disorder (BED) and non-obese controls. The secondary aim was to identify clinical variables including eating and physical activity behaviour, physical complaints, psychopathology and physical self-perception...

The aim of the current study was to explore the associations between changes in the number of binges, physical activity participation, physical fitness, physical self-perception and quality of life following a 6-month physical activity counseling and cognitive behavioral program in patients with binge eating disorder (BED). In total 34 (31 women) o...

Understanding the factors that influence physical activity in persons with binge eating disorders can aid the design of more effective interventions. In order to address this, the present paper provides a systematic quantitative review of the correlates of physical activity in people with binge eating disorder. We searched PsycINFO, PubMed and PEDr...

Purpose: The purpose of this systematic review was to summarise the evidence from randomised controlled trials examining the effectiveness of physical therapy compared with care as usual or a wait-list condition on eating pathology and on physiological and psychological parameters in patients with anorexia and bulimia nervosa. Method: EMBASE, Ps...

Objective: Incompleteness of data is a major problem within clinical follow-up studies. The aim of present study was to compare different statistical models in the management of follow-up data in patients with eating disorders using the Body Attitude Test. Method: A prospective longitudinal investigation with repeated evaluations over fixed time...

Abstract Purpose: Since a distorted body experience and a sedentary lifestyle are central in the course of binge eating disorder (BED), physical therapy might be an interesting add-on treatment. The aim of this study was to systematically review randomised controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating physical therapy on binge eating and physical and mental...

We examined whether affective variability can predict non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) in eating disorders. Affect was represented by valence (positive versus negative) and activation (high versus low). Twenty-one patients with anorexia nervosa-restricting type, 18 patients with anorexia nervosa-binge-purging type and 20 patients with bulimia nervos...

Abstract La Bulimia Nervosa solo recentemente è stata riconosciuta dai sistemi nosografici come un disturbo autonomo. Tuttavia scritti antichi documentano quadri clinici ‘simil-bulimici’ già più di 2000 anni fa. Inizialmente verranno illustrate le antiche descrizioni di comportamenti simil-bulimici, successivamente gli Autori si concentreranno sui...

This study aimed to analyze the association between traumatic experiences (TEs) and eating symptoms and their severity in a healthy group (HG) of students and an eating disorder group (EDG). The HG (N=150) comprised first- and secondyear undergraduate psychology students, the EDG (N=150) day hospital patients. EDG patients were evaluated consecutiv...

Eating disorders are characterised by a morbid obsession with food and weight, and an unrealistic/disturbed perception of the body. Their incidence is relatively low, their prevalence hard to measure and probably underestimated. The aetiology of eating disorders is still unknown. The diagnosis of eating disorders is often set late or not at all by...

More than three out of four persons with binge eating disorder do not get enough physical exercise. To collect scientific evidence of the effects and benefits that movement and physical exercise can have on persons with a binge eating disorder. PubMed, PsychInfo, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Cochrane Library, Physiother...

The goal of this study is to investigate the efficacy of a manualised cognitive behavioural therapeutic approach (CBT) for patients with obesity and binge eating disorder (BED) on the short and longer term. A prospective study without a control group consisting of three measurements (a baseline measurement and 2 FU assessments up to 5 years after t...

Eetstoornissen, die vaak worden beschouwd als acute stoornissen waarvan patiënten ofwel genezen ofwel sterven, blijken vaak een langdurig beloop te kennen. In de Engelse vakliteratuur deed hiervoor enkele jaren geleden een nieuw acroniem zijn intrede: ‘SEED’ (Severe and Enduring Eating Disorders). In plaats van de geijkte behandeling, lijkt deze gr...

The SCOFF is a quick and simple screening tool for eating disorders (EDs), intended for use by those who are not specialists in the field. The purpose of the present study is to explore the psychometric properties of an Italian version of the instrument. An Italian translation of the SCOFF was administered, together with a part of the Italian versi...

The SCOFF is a quick and simple screening tool for eating disorders (EDs), intended for use by those who are not specialists in the field. The purpose of the present study is to explore the psychometric properties of an Italian version of the instrument. An Italian translation of the SCOFF was administered, together with a part of the Italian versi...

Although there often exists important psychological comorbidity in patients with alopecia areata, few studies have investigated the role of psychotherapeutic interventions. The aim of this prospective cohort study was to investigate the long-term evolution of psychological symptoms in twenty-one patients with refractory alopecia areata. Patients re...

To examine whether drive for thinness, body dissatisfaction, and restrictive/binge eating-purging subtype at admission moderates the weight curves of patients with Anorexia Nervosa (AN) over the course of inpatient treatment. METHOD: The nature of weight curves, individual differences herein and moderating factors are examined in 92 AN patients by...

To examine whether drive for thinness, body dissatisfaction, and restrictive/binge eating-purging subtype at admission moderates the weight curves of patients with Anorexia Nervosa (AN) over the course of inpatient treatment. The nature of weight curves, individual differences herein and moderating factors are examined in 92 AN patients by means of...

De eetbuistoornis wordt in de DSM-IV-TR beschreven onder de categorie EDNOS (eating disorder not otherwise specified). Vaak resulteert de eetbuistoornis in obesitas. Als je de grote hoeveelheid studies over medicamenteuze behandelingen van de eetbuistoornis in ogenschouw neemt, kun je stellen dat er weinig onderzoek is verricht naar de effecten van...

De eetbuistoornis of binge eating disorder wordt momenteel nog niet beschouwd als een aparte diagnostische categorie binnen de DSM-IV. Ze behoort tot de categorie ‘eetstoornis niet anderszins omschreven’ (EDNOS). Het hoofdkenmerk is de aanwezigheid van eetbuien, waarbij compenseergedrag ontbreekt. Er is een belangrijke link met obesitas. Een aantal...

This paper present a plea for a more flexible therapeutic approach which focuses not only on the underlying cognitions, behaviours and emotions related to the eating disorder, but an approach that adapts its focus depending also on the psychopathological pathway which has led to the development of the eating disorder.

Objective To examine whether drive for thinness, body dissatisfaction, and restrictive/binge eating-purging subtype at admission moderates the weight curves of patients with Anorexia Nervosa (AN) over the course of inpatient treatment. Method The nature of weight curves, individual differences herein and moderating factors are examined in 92 AN pat...

Lack of self-esteem may play an important role in the development of eating disorders (ED). This study investigated the differential impact of positive and negative feedback on implicit and explicit self-esteem in women with an ED (N=25) as compared to women without an ED (N=29). False feedback (positive or negative) was given on participant's perf...

Samenvatting Een gebrek aan zelfwaardering kan een belangrijke rol spelen in de ontwikkeling en het voortduren van eetstoornissen. In dit onderzoek zijn de gevolgen van positieve en negatieve feedback op de impliciete en expliciete zelfwaardering bestudeerd bij vrouwen met een eetstoornis in vergelijking met vrouwen zonder psychische stoornis. Na h...

Een gebrek aan zelfwaardering kan een belangrijke rol spelen in de ontwikkeling en het voortduren van eetstoornissen. In dit onderzoek zijn de gevolgen van positieve en negatieve feedback op de impliciete en expliciete zelfwaardering bestudeerd bij vrouwen met een eetstoornis in vergelijking met vrouwen zonder psychische stoornis. Na het uitvoeren...

Dit artikel beschrijft een nieuwe cognitief-gedragstherapeutische behandeling voor patiënten met obesitas en binge eating disorder. Het programma loopt één dag per week gedurende zes maanden (24 sessies). De specifieke therapeutische doelen zijn onder meer: het normaliseren van het eetgedrag en stoppen van de eetbuien; het bevorderen van lichaamsbe...

Within actual psychiatric diagnostic classification systems, bulimia nervosa has only recently been recognized as a separate disorder. However, exploring ancient writings, one may notice that the first ‘bulirnic-like’ case descriptions today classified within the eating disorders, originate already more 2000 years ago.First, several ancient descrip...

Body image is an important feature in the quality of life of clinical and non-clinical subjects. Therefore, the evaluation of different instruments for measuring body image is necessary. More and more attention is also given to the body image of males. This study addresses the body image of non-clinical males in comparison to females by using well-...

Recent studies suggest a higher prevalence of alexithymia in patients with alopecia areata (AA). Some authors link alexithymia with the presence of early traumatic events, such as dysfunctional parent-child relationships. However, until today, no studies have been carried out on the association of alexithymia and early traumatic events in AA patien...

Whether adult alopecia areata (AA) is associated with childhood or total lifetime traumatic events is not known. Previous studies have investigated only the relationship with recent stressful events. We sought to determine whether patients with AA experience more childhood or total lifetime traumatic events, as measured by the Traumatic Experiences...

Recently the attention for mirror exercises in therapies targeted specifically to body experience concerns has increased. This retrospective study will explore the mirror behaviour of anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN) and non-clinical female subjects (CG) and investigate whether mirror avoidance or checking are related to negative body ex...

This paper describes an innovative cognitive behavioural program for the treatment of patients with binge eating disorder in the University Psychiatric Center K.U. Leuven Campus Kortenberg in Belgium. The program runs one day a week during 6 months and consists of 24 sessions. The most important therapeutic goals are: (1) normalization of eating ha...

In the 4th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders binge eating disorder (BED) is proposed as a new diagnostic category within the spectrum of eating disorders, belonging to the category "eating disorders not otherwise specified". It is not a formal diagnosis as the criteria require further investigations. People with t...

Body image disturbance is an important factor in the development and the treatment of eating disorders. Therefore, evaluations of different instruments for measuring body image disturbances are necessary. Four widely used questionnaires are evaluated: The Body Attitude Test, The Eating Disorder Inventory, The Body Shape Questionnaire, and the Body...

Alexithymia is a personality trait characterized by difficulties in differentiating and describing feelings. Research indicates that alexithymia acts as a triggering factor for many medical and psychiatric disorders. The interest in alexithymia has increased considerably over the past decade. A state of the art review of recent research on alexithy...

This paper makes the case that the widely used evidence-based 'CBT' approaches remain unsuccessful in many eating disorder patients. Six critical 'personal reflections' are formulated on why many patients remain totally resistant toward our therapeutic endeavours. My reflections suggest that probably many roads may lead to Rome.

Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disease leading to loss of scalp hairs. The disease seems triggered by stress. Data on the possibility of using hypnotherapy in the treatment of AA are very limited. Twenty-eight patients with extensive AA, all refractory to previous conventional treatment, were treated with hypnosis at the Academic Hospital UZ...

Transgenerational aspects of trauma and dissociation: Empirical data We investigated the link between trauma history, dissociation and memories of parental rearing behaviour of 99 psychiatric patients (mainly with eating disorders) and their parents. A modest correlation was found between dissociation and trauma history of mothers and children (no...

Up till now research into dissociation has paid little attention to the relationship between current stress and family variables on the one hand and dissociative phenomena on the other hand. By contrast, however, many studies have investigated the link between traumatic experiences in the past and dissociative phenomena. To investigate, in a clinic...

achtergrond: Bij de studie van dissociatie is tot nu toe weinig aandacht besteed aan de samenhang tussen actuele stress en gezinsvariabelen enerzijds en de dissociatieve ervaringen anderzijds; dit in tegenstelling tot de vele studies over trauma in het verleden en dissociatie. doel: In een klinische populatie onderzoeken of dissociatie in meer of m...

In this study the relationship between traumatic experiences and different aspects of the eating disorder, comorbid psychopathology and dissociation was examined in a clinical population of female eating disorder patients (n = 298) by means of a series of self-report questionnaires administered upon admission to the hospital. In the entire group of...

Little is known about which therapeutic 'ingredients' in the treatment of eating disorders (anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN) and binge eating disorder (BED)) are needed for recovery. Remarkably, most studies on this topic have neglected the patient's view. In this study, a large sample of eating disorder patients (n = 132) was invited to...

Using Ecological Momentary Assessment, the within patient associations between drive for thinness, emotional states, momentary urge to be physically active and physical activity were studied in 32 inpatients with an eating disorder. Participants received an electronic device and had to indicate at nine random times a day during 1 week their momenta...

In dit artikel wordt de behandeling beschreven van een vrouw met een ernstige eenmalige traumatische ervaring. Na een moeizame start waarbij de cliënte aanvankelijk psychiatrisch-psychotherapeutisch wordt begeleid, komt er een spectaculaire verbetering na één sessie EMDR. Deze verbetering houdt echter slechts tijdelijk stand, onder meer omdat cliën...

Dit artikel beschrijft een onderzoek waarbij de invloed van een traumaverleden op de behandeling van eetstoornissen is nagegaan. De getraumatiseerde patiënten vertonen een hogere score op bijna alle variabelen, maar deze verschillen zijn statistisch gezien niet significant. Verder tonen de onderzoeksresultaten ook geen verschil in de behandelingsre...