Personality Predictors and Pathology of Eating Disorder Development in Girls
Eating disorders are the most difficult to treat psychiatric disorders. Undiagnosable eating pathology includes binge eating (eating large quantities of food while feeling a loss of control), inappropriate weight-controlled behaviors (such as bulimia or laxative use), excessive exercise, fasting, and body dysmorphia (discrepancies between perceived and ideal body weight or one’s overall appearance). Eating pathology is very common, with body dissatisfaction estimated to affect 11-72% of girls and women. It is linked to anxiety and depression, cigarette use, social avoidance, and overall poorer physical and mental health. Disordered eating is both common and harmful, and although programs designed to improve body image and prevent eating pathology can health reduce the commonality and harm of disordered eating, they are usually short-lived in terms of benefits.
Knowledge of eating pathology development is important for its prevention. The development of eating pathology typically starts in adolescence, with ages 12 to 18 being a sensitive period when body image and eating behaviors change rapidly and are more responsive to intervention. Many studies have provided evidence that the trend of eating pathology increases with age, with early pubertal timing being associated with increased pathology.
Underexplored predictors of eating pathology are personality and behavior. Negative emotionality, which is defined as the tendency toward experiencing negative emotions such as sadness, fear, and anger, has been found to be the largest personality predictors of eating disorder diagnosis. Other traits that have been linked are perfectionism, impulsivity, and behavioral control.
Knowledge of eating pathology development is important for its prevention. The development of eating pathology typically starts in adolescence, with ages 12 to 18 being a sensitive period when body image and eating behaviors change rapidly and are more responsive to intervention. Many studies have provided evidence that the trend of eating pathology increases with age, with early pubertal timing being associated with increased pathology.
Underexplored predictors of eating pathology are personality and behavior. Negative emotionality, which is defined as the tendency toward experiencing negative emotions such as sadness, fear, and anger, has been found to be the largest personality predictors of eating disorder diagnosis. Other traits that have been linked are perfectionism, impulsivity, and behavioral control.
Eating disorders are among the deadliest psychiatric disorders and are linked to a wide range of negative health outcomes.
A 2023 study used data from an existing longitudinal study of twins and their parents, the Minnesota Twin Family Study, to identify common trajectories of eating pathologies of twins over a 17-year span. The researchers hypothesized that the global average of eating trajectories would be characterized by body dissatisfaction and weight preoccupation over time, until the age of 25. The investigators also looked at personality characteristics and their influence on eating pathology. Regarding personality, they hypothesized that participants with more pathological eating trajectories would have more negative self and parent-reported emotionality traits. In order to collect this data for both aspects of the study, twins completed surveys that scored disordered eating in the following subscales: compensatory behavior, binge eating, body dissatisfaction, and weight preoccupation. For personality characteristics, different versions of the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire were used to assess positive and negative emotionality as well as constraint. Positive emotionality refers to traits of achievement, well-being, and social closeness, while negative emotionality refers to traits of alienation, aggression, and stress reaction. Constraint refers to harm avoidance and control.
The results of the study showed that global average trajectories were characterized by increases in eating pathology, body dissatisfaction, and weight, with binge eating being infrequently reported. Regarding personality traits, those related to negative emotionality played an important role in the trajectories of eating pathology, with traits from self-reports being more accurate than parent reports. There was some support for their hypothesis that negative emotionality would predict less favorable trajectories, with adolescents who reported struggling with interpersonal relationships being more likely to have riskier trajectories.
The findings of the study have important implications for the prevention of eating disorders and body dysmorphia as sensitive periods for development may occur earlier than researchers previously believed. Trajectories of global eating pathology, weight, and body dissatisfaction deviated from normal patterns and results suggest that earlier targeted prevention as well as targeting personality traits may be beneficial for young girls.
The results of the study showed that global average trajectories were characterized by increases in eating pathology, body dissatisfaction, and weight, with binge eating being infrequently reported. Regarding personality traits, those related to negative emotionality played an important role in the trajectories of eating pathology, with traits from self-reports being more accurate than parent reports. There was some support for their hypothesis that negative emotionality would predict less favorable trajectories, with adolescents who reported struggling with interpersonal relationships being more likely to have riskier trajectories.
The findings of the study have important implications for the prevention of eating disorders and body dysmorphia as sensitive periods for development may occur earlier than researchers previously believed. Trajectories of global eating pathology, weight, and body dissatisfaction deviated from normal patterns and results suggest that earlier targeted prevention as well as targeting personality traits may be beneficial for young girls.
Featured Image Source: Annie Spratt
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