[The self-image and the image of other people in the perception of patients with anorexia nervosa].

Aim: The aim of this study was to compare the self-image and the image of other people in the perception of female patients with anorexia nervosa.

Method: Thirty women with anorexia nervosa were investigated during hospitalisation in the Psychiatric Department of the Medical School of Lublin. The mean age of patients was 20 years. The Adjective Check List (ACL) of Gough and Heilbrunn was used with the instruction: how you are, how would you like to be, how are the other people.

Results: The measurement gave us the possibility to obtain the real and ideal self-image and the real image of the other people. The results showed that there are statistically significant differences between self-image and the image of other people in the perception of anorectic females in connection with self-acceptance, self-control, the need of intraception, nurturance, exhibition, autonomy, aggression, need of abasement, difference, the scale of masculine attributes, the scale of feminine attributes and the scale of the free child.

Conclusions: Significant differences occurred also in the scale based on the results. The final conclusions are as follows: 1) Anorectic females show negative self-image and even a more negative image of other people. 2) According to anorectic females the people are more aggressive, more self-issued, avoiding close contacts, manipulating, tending to gain autonomy and to be in the centre of the group's attention.