'n Ondersoek na die verband tussen persoonlikheidstipe en eetversteurings by vrouens

English: The relationship between personality type and eating disorders among women was investigated in this study. Many researchers regard personality as a risk factor in the development of eating disorders. The negative impact eating disorders have on the individual and society in general gives enough support for the need to develop more effective preventative measures. Any research that aims to contribute to the field of prevention, is therefore of utmost importance. Research mainly focuses on the relationship between pathological personality traits and eating disorders, which leaves a great need for research in the field of non-clinical personality traits and its relation to the eating disorders. This study partly aims to address this need. The Revised NEO Personality Inventory was used to study the relationship between eating disorders and non-clinical personality traits in women. Altogether 59 subjects willingly participated in this study, of which 15 subjects have anorexia nervosa, 12 subjects obesity and 15 subjects have no eating disorder. Due to the sensitive nature of this subject and participants' unwillingness to take part in a study of this nature, it was very difficult to draw bigger samples for this study. The most important findings of the study were as follow: • Except for higher scores on the Neuroticism scale (N), there was no significant difference in the personality profiles between the anorexia nervosa group and the group without eating disorders. These results suggest that the anorexia nervosa subjects have marked higher levels of neuroticism than those with no eating disorder. In comparison with people without an eating disorder, people with anorexia nervosa are more sensitive, emotional and tend to experience disturbing or negative emotions. Even though this scale does not measure unhealthy neuroticism, high levels of neuroticism could present vulnerability for the development of an eating disorder. • The scores which the obese group obtained on the E (extroversion), A (agreeableness) and 0 (openness) scales, differed significantly from the group with no eating disorders and also differed significantly on the A and 0 scales from the anorexia group. They repeatedly scored lower average values than the group with no eating disorders. Their personality profile seems to be more restricted (introverted, withdrawn, reserved, hardheaded, skeptic) than the group with no eating disorders. • These results seem to correlate in some way with findings reported in the literature, but due to the methodological limitations of this study, these results cannot be generalized and further research is necessary in order to validate and broaden these findings.