Attachment styles, defence mechanisms and representations of body and gender in a sample of patients diagnosed with eating disorders

Starting from research into the effectiveness of residential treatments for ED patients, this study starts from the growing recognition in clinical and empirical literature of the relevance of defence mechanisms and attachment styles as indicators of psychological functioning and psychopathological vulnerability in ED patients. Furthermore, several studies have highlighted the central role of body and gender representations, noting how clinical pictures are typically defined by a distortion of body image characterised by an alteration in the way body weight and shape are experienced.
To date, however, only a small number of studies have investigated the relationship between attachment styles, defensive mechanisms and body and gender representations in the course of EDs and in the residential treatment outcome of these patients.

The project therefore aims to:

• Explore, through detailed and qualitative analysis of single cases, the relationship between personality, attachment styles, gender identity and body representations on residential treatment outcomes
• Investigate the role of defence mechanisms as factors that may influence the course, prognosis and symptomatological severity of different ED cases
• Explore the role of body representation in different eating disorders as a transdiagnostic factor to inform tailored and personalised therapeutic intervention

• Vittorio Lingiardi, Psychiatrist and Psychoanalyst, Full Professor of Dynamic Psychology, Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome
• Laura Muzi, Psychologist, Researcher in Dynamic and Clinical Psychology at the Department of Philosophy, Social Sciences and Education, Università degli Studi di Perugia
• Marta Mirabella, Psychologist, Research Associate, Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome
• Bianca Di Giannantonio, PhD student, Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome
• Michele Rugo, Psychiatrist and Psychoanalyst, Medical Director of the Gruber Residence, Bologna
• Anna Franco, Psychologist and Psychotherapist, Psychology Area Coordinator, Gruber Residence, Bologna
• Alessia Urgese, Psychologist, Clinical Coordinator, Gruber Residence, Bologna