European Psychiatry - Volume 41 - April 2017

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25th European Congress of Psychiatry / European Psychiatry 41S (2017) S521–S582 S557
on the construction of a positive body image, presenting an impact
on the engagement in disordered eating. In this line, cognitive
fusion may be a pertinent target in clinical practice and also within
eating disorders prevention.
Disclosure of interest The authors have not supplied their decla-
ration of competing interest.
EV0469
What relationship between eating
disorders and alexithymia among
medical students?
N. Messedi ∗, I. Feki , R. Masmoudi , B.N. Saguem , J. Masmoudi
Hedi Chaker University Hospital, Psychiatry A, Sfax, Tunisia
∗ Corresponding author.
Introduction The student population seems to be vulnerable to
eating disorders (ED) but is this in relation to their ability to express
their emotions or alexithymia?
Objectives Studying the prevalence of ED and alexithymia among
medical students, and establish the relationship between these
entities.
Methods It was a cross-sectional study of 97 students in Sfax
University Medicine (Tunisia). We used:
– a questionnaire containing demographic and clinical data;
– Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26): a score ≥ 20 indicates ED;
– Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20): a score ≥ 61 indicates alex-
ithymia.
Results The average age of participants was 24.07 years (±2.71);
the sex ratio (M/W) was 0.4. Their average BMI was 22.85 kg/m2
(± 3.36). They were smoking in 36.1% and sedentary in 43.3% of
case. They had a nibbling activity in 57.7%. The average score of
the EAT-26 was 11.66 ±8.66 and prevalence of TCA was 19.6%. The
average score of TAS-20 was 50.92, 0.46 and alexithymia was found
in 16.5% of students. ED was significantly correlated with nibbling
(P = 0.02), BMI or overweight (P = 0.012), smoking (P= 0.006) and
physical inactivity (P < 0.00). Also alexithymiawas significantly cor-
related with smoking (P = 0.003) and physical inactivity (P = 0.025).
A significant correlation was found between alexithymia and ED
(P = 0.008).
Conclusion It is clear from our study an association between
alexithymia and the ED. Psychological support aimed specifically
alexithymic dimension is indispensable, not only for decreasing
the emergence of ED but also contributing to lower any addictive
behavior.
Disclosure of interest The authors have not supplied their decla-
ration of competing interest.
EV0470
Prenatal stress exposure as a risk
factor for anorexia nervosa:
A controlled study
S. Michelon∗, E. Tenconi , E. Bonello , D. Degortes , M. De Toffol ,
A. Favaro , P. Santonastaso , M. Nassuato
University of Padua, Department of Neurosciences, Padua, Italy
∗ Corresponding author.
Introduction Prenatal risk factors, such as gestational complica-
tions and exposure to stress during pregnancy, may have a role in
the development of many psychiatric disorders including eating
disorders.
Aim To investigate the impact of prenatal stress exposure on the
development and clinical features of anorexia nervosa.
Methods One hundred and nine patientswith a lifetime diagnosis
of anorexia nervosa and 118 healthy controls underwent a clini-
cal assessment, which included interviews, questionnaires and a
neuropsychological battery. The mothers of the patients and con-
trols underwent a specific interview focused on stressful life events,
which occurred during pregnancy. Obstetric and neonatal records
were consulted.
Results The mothers of patients experienced more severe stress-
ful episodes during pregnancy than the mothers of controls and
the perceived distress showed significant positive correlation with
both total number of obstetrical complications and placental
weight. In patients, the severity of stressful events was strongly
associated to cognitive rigidity and perseverance.
Conclusions Prenatal stress exposuremight be a risk factor for the
development of anorexia nervosa and it is associatedwith cognitive
traits of rigidity and perseverance.
Disclosure of interest The authors have not supplied their decla-
ration of competing interest.
EV0471
The disorder of lived corporeality:
A possible link between attachment
style and eating disorder
psychopathology
A.M. Monteleone ∗, G. Castellini , U. Volpe , M. Nigro ,
F. Zamponi , V. Ricca , G. Stanghellini , P. Monteleone
1 Second University of Naples, Department of Psychiatry, Naples, Italy
2 University of Florence, Psychiatric Unit, Department of
Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health, Florence,
Italy
3 Università G D’Annunzio, Department of Psychological, Humanistic
and Territorial Sciences, Chieti, Italy
4 University of Salerno, Department of Medicine, Surgery and
Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana” Section of Neurosciences,
Salerno, Italy
∗ Corresponding author.
Introduction According to the trans-diagnostic perspective, dis-
turbances in eating patterns of eating disorders (EDs) are
considered as epiphenomena secondary to the patient’s overval-
uation of his/her body shape and weight.
Objectives The phenomenological theory states that the main
feature of ED psychopathology is a disturbance in the way affected
persons experience their own body (embodiment). Insecure attach-
ment may promote the development of unstable self-identity
leading to use body weight as a source of self-definition.
Aims The aim of our study was to assess the role of embodiment
impairments in the relationships between attachment stiles and ED
psychopathology.
Methods One hundred twelve ED patients and 108 healthy
subjects filled in the Identity and Eating Disorders (IDEA) ques-
tionnaire, which assesses embodiment and personal identity
abnormalities, the eating disorder inventory-2 (EDI-2) and the
experiences in close relationships (ECR) scale, whichdefines attach-
ment styles.
Results ED patients showed IDEA, EDI-2 and ECR scores sig-
nificantly higher than controls. Significant correlations between
IDEA scores, insecure attachment and almost all EDI-2 sub-item
scores emerged in ED patients but not in controls. IDEA total score
mediated the relationship between avoidant attachment and EDI-2
interoceptive awareness.
Conclusions These findings demonstrate that in ED patients inse-
cure attachment is correlated to disorder of identity and lived
corporeality that, in turn, mediates the association between attach-
ment and a specific ED psychopathological trait. Therefore, we
suppose that early relationships, through the development of dis-
turbances in identity and embodiment, lead to altered perception
of bodily signals and deranged discrimination of one’s emotions,
which could contribute to EDs.