The first article I came across was one that pertained to bulimia and a purging disorder. This article caught my interest because I had always just assumed purging would be classified as bulimia. This article goes in-depth and discusses whether or not purging can be classified as its own separate disorder, or is it strictly a sub threshold variant of bulimia.
The method of the study was to examine other studies previously published regarding purging. Searches that reviewed anorexia and bulimia solely were dismissed from the study. Fourteen articles total were found and researched. A challenge in reviewing the literature of a condition, which has not been formally named or defined, is heterogeneity of names and definitions used for the syndromes (Keel, 2007, p. 89). The purpose of this study was to review the evidence, prevalence, and significance of a newly named but not a classifiable eating disorder
The results of this study showed that there is indeed a clinical significance of a purging disorder; however the disorder is not differential enough to be classified alone and remains a subtype of bulimia nervosa. According to Keel (2007), “similarities in body image disturbance, dietary restraint, and overall eating disordered have been found when reviewing literature for purging disorder”(p.91). The results suggest that there may be underpinnings for a full-blown disorder, but until further research is conducted in order to evaluate the differences of purging disorder from bulimia nervosa, the disorder remains unspecified as to where it belongs.
In conclusion, purging disorder continues to affect a substantial number of adolescents and keeps targeting young females that continue to haunt them through out their life. This type of problem is comparable to those suffering from anorexia and bulimia, however supporting data for the syndrome to become definable according to the DSM-IV, strongly lacks here in the United States, and research must continue in...