ABSTRACT
A significant proportion of patients with eating disorders fulfill the diagnostic criteria for avoidant personality disorder (e.g., Sansone, Levitt, & Sansone 2005; van Hanswijck de Jonge, van Furth, lacey, & Waller, 2003). Levitt and Sansone (this volume) estimate the prevalence at between 16% and 27%, depending on the subtype of eating disorder. This contrasts markedly with the general population prevalence of 0.5% to 1% for avoidant personality disorder (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). This comorbidity, however, often goes unnoticed by clinicians, and there are currently no available studies describing treatment effectiveness with patients experiencing both of these disorders. Therefore, it is important to consider the psychological factors that might explain the comorbidity between the eating disorders and avoidant personality disorder and then develop ideas from that knowledge base. Our clinical experience suggests that we have the most to learn from studying the current knowledge base regarding social anxiety and social phobia, and their association with the eating disorders.
