ABSTRACT
To the clinician, the absence of obsessive-compulsive symptomatology in individuals with eating disorders (EDs), particularly those toward the anorexic (i.e., anorexia nervosa [AN]) end of the spectrum, seems more noteworthy than its presence (Bruce & Steiger, 2005; Kaye, Bailer, Frank, Wagner, & Henry 2005). Obsessions, compulsive behaviors, and ruminative thinking, as well as the personality traits of perfectionism, inflexibility, conformity, high personal standards, and a need for control, characterize many who present for treatment. These features inevitably challenge clinicians as they develop treatment modalities for patients with EDs—especially interventions pertaining to weight, shape, and food. As a result, obsessive-compulsive features often need to be addressed in those patients with EDs who are exhibiting full or partial comorbid obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) or obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD).
