Cognitive style of patients with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.

Nine female patients with anorexia nervosa and 7 female patients with bulimia nervosa were assessed on the Matching Familiar Figures Test (MFFT). This study found that subjects with bulimia nervosa responded more quickly than did the anorexic subjects. Results such as these suggest that not only are bulimic patients more behaviorally impulsive than anorexic patients, they are also more cognitively impulsive. Patients with anorexia nervosa in contrast seemed to display a reflective cognitive style. Extreme cognitive styles may contribute to resistance in treatment and/or relapse in anorexia or bulimia nervosa.