Sarah and Patti, both middle school students, have been close friends since childhood. Lately Sarah has noticed some changes in Patti's behavior. She seems more withdrawn and moody. She is losing weight and her eating habits seem weird. For example, Patti eats an entire bowl of popcorn and a package of cookies when they watch a movie together at her house. Sarah has also noticed that Patti's eyes are often red and the knuckles on her fingers appear sore. What eating disorder matches Patti's symptoms?

A. night eating syndrome

B. binge eating disorder

C. anorexia nervosa

D. bulimia nervosa

Answer is D. bulimia nervosa

Refer below.

Explanation:

The eating disorder that matches Patti's symptoms:

bulimia nervosa

D. Bulimia nervosa

Explanation:

In psychopathology, one of the most common eating disorders, according to the DSM-V, the bulimia nervosa is characterized by

recurrent episodes of binge eating in which the person eats a larger amount of food than what most individuals would eat in that same period, as well, the person senses a lack of control over eating during these episodes. After these episodes take place, the person could go through behaviors of self-induced vomiting, used of laxatives or excessive exercise in order to compensate the eating episode. These behaviors can create physical changes in the person such as sore knuckles (from the self-induced vomiting).

In this example Sarah has noticed some changes in Patti's behavior. Patti is able to eat an entire bowl of popcorn and a package of cookies when they watch a movie (most people wouldn't eat this much during this period of time, approximately two hours). Sarah notices that Patti's eyes are often red and the knuckles on her fingers appear sore, this could be due to the self-inducing vomiting and the effort of doing so. Therefore, the eating disorder that matches Patti's behavior is bulimia nervosa.