Bulimic symptoms and the social withdrawal syndrome

• Examined the relation between Bulimic Symptoms and social withdrawal syndrome
• Assessed undergraduates' trust beliefs, disclosure, and loneliness
• Individuals with bulimia symptoms were prone to the social withdrawal syndrome.
• Showed a coherent pattern of low trust beliefs, low disclosure, and loneliness

One hundred and thirty-seven undergraduates (81 females; mean age = 21 years–10 months) completed the Bulimic SEDS subscale and standardized measures of trust beliefs in close others (mother, father, and friend), disclosure to them, and loneliness. Structural Equation Modelling yielded: (1) a negative path between Bulimic Symptoms and trust beliefs, (2) a positive path between trust beliefs and disclosure, (3) a negative path between trust beliefs and loneliness, and (4) a negative path between disclosure and loneliness. As expected, trust beliefs statistically mediated the relations between Bulimic Symptoms and both disclosure and loneliness and disclosure statistically mediated the relation between trust beliefs and loneliness. The findings supported the conclusion that individuals with bulimia nervosa are prone to the social withdrawal syndrome comprising a coherent and integrated pattern of low trust beliefs in close others, low disclosure to close others, and high loneliness.