Abstract
M.A. (Clinical Psychology)
The aim of this study was to determine whether a group of
patients with anorexia nervosa would differ from a group
of well-adjusted adolescent girls in terms of certain
personality traits.
In a survey of the literature the general symptoms,
incidence, treatment methods and prognoses were discussed.
Anorexia nervosa was found to be a complex syndrome
consisting of many physical and psychological symptoms.
Integrated treatment methods were found to produce the
best results, although the prognosis was found to be
relatively poor. The background factors were discussed,
with special emphasis on the family background and premorbid
personality factors. In a discussion of the
etiology, the psychodynamic approach was stressed. The
traditional psycho-analytical theories were discussed
initially, followed by a more detailed discussion of
the control theory. The premise of this theory is that
the anorexia nervosa patient ceases to eat in an effort
to obtain control over her own body as well as her environment.
Due to a lack of comparative empirical studies, it was
decided to utilize the Rorschach test to compare eleven
patients with anorexia nervosa with eleven well-adjusted
adolescent girls with regard to certain psycho-dynamic
characteristics...