Assessment of interpersonal skills in obese women with binge eating disorder.

Based upon interpersonal theory that suggests an association between binge eating disorder (BED) and interpersonal problems, the present study examined empathy and other social skills of obese women with BED. The findings showed that five social skills were statistically associated with the chance of presenting BED. Obese women with less assertiveness, lower ability to express feelings, lower capacity to deal with strangers, lower ability to understand the perspective of others, and with higher levels of distress in interpersonal situations had a higher probability of presenting the diagnosis of BED. These results highlight an association between social skills deficits and BED.