Associations of Neuroticism and Impulsivity with Binge Eating in a Nationally Representative Sample of Adolescents in the United States

Sex differences in regional gray matter density in pre-adolescent binge eating disorder: a voxel-based morphometry study

BACKGROUND

Binge eating disorder (BED) is a pernicious psychiatric disorder which is linked with broad medical and psychiatric morbidity, and obesity. While BED may be characterized by altered cortical morphometry, no evidence to date examined possible sex-differences in regional gray matter characteristics among those with BED. This is especially important to consider in children, where BED symptoms often emerge coincident with rapid gray matter maturation.

METHODS

Pre-adolescent, 9-10-year old boys (N = 38) and girls (N = 33) with BED were extracted from the 3.0 baseline (Year 0) release of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study. We investigated sex differences in gray matter density (GMD) via voxel-based morphometry. Control sex differences were also assessed in age and body mass index and developmentally matched control children (boys N = 36; girls N = 38). Among children with BED, we additionally assessed the association between dorsolateral prefrontal (dlPFC) GMD and parent-reported behavioral approach and inhibition tendencies.

RESULTS

Girls with BED uniquely demonstrate diffuse clusters of greater GMD (p < 0.05, Threshold Free Cluster Enhancement corrected) in the (i) left dlPFC (p = 0.003), (ii) bilateral dmPFC (p = 0.004), (iii) bilateral primary motor and somatosensory cortex (p = 0.0003) and (iv) bilateral precuneus (p = 0.007). Brain-behavioral associations suggest a unique negative correlation between GMD in the left dlPFC and behavioral approach tendencies among girls with BED.

CONCLUSIONS

Early-onset BED may be characterized by regional sex differences in terms of its underlying gray matter morphometry.

What role do early life experiences play in eating disorders? The impact of parenting style, temperament and early maladaptive schemas

OBJECTIVE

Given that most eating disorders develop in adolescence and early adulthood, early life experiences are said to play a key role in the aetiology of eating disorders. There are well-documented relationships between early maladaptive schemas and eating disorders, early maladaptive schemas and temperament and temperament and perceived parenting style. The present study aimed to test a hypothesis that perceived parenting style predicts temperament, which predicts early maladaptive schemas, which predict eating disorder symptoms in young people.

METHOD

An online survey measured perceived parenting style, temperament, early maladaptive schemas and eating disorder symptoms in 397 people with disordered eating between the ages of 18 and 29. Path analysis was used to investigate the relationship between these elements.

RESULTS

The results found support for this hypothesis. Perceived maladaptive parenting ratings for mothers were a stronger predictor of temperament, and only two temperament factors were adequate predictors of early maladaptive schemas.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, the present study found preliminary support for a linear relationship where perceived parenting style predicts temperament, which predicts early maladaptive schema levels, which predicts eating disorder symptoms. The present study was the first to propose and test this model; however, further research is required to confirm the nature and extent of this relationship.

One size does not fit all: Exploring how the five-factor model facets predict disordered eating behaviours among adolescent and young adult males and females

There is a wealth of research that has highlighted the relationship between personality and eating disorders. It has been suggested that understanding how subclinical disordered eating behaviours are uniquely associated with personality can help to improve the conceptualization of individuals with eating disorders. This study aimed to explore how the facets of the Five-Factor Model (FFM) predicted restrictive eating, binge eating, purging, chewing and spitting, excessive exercising and muscle building among males and females. An online survey assessing disordered eating behaviours, FFM and general psychopathology was completed by 394 females and 167 males aged between 16 and 30 years. Simultaneous equations path models were systematically generated for each disordered eating behaviour to identify how the FFM facets, body dissatisfaction and age predicted behaviour. The results indicated that each of the six disordered behaviours were predicted by a unique pattern of thinking, feeling and behaving. Considerable differences between males and females were found for each path model, suggesting differences between males and females in the personality traits that drive disordered eating behaviours. It was concluded that it is important to take personality into account when treating males and females who engage in disordered eating behaviours.

Associations between inattention and impulsivity ADHD symptoms and disordered eating risk in a community sample of young adults

BACKGROUND

Symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and trait impulsivity have been associated with disordered eating but are seldom assessed in community studies, or longitudinally and little is known about the mediating mechanisms.

METHODS

We tested associations between ADHD symptoms and disordered eating cross-sectionally and between trait impulsivity and disordered eating longitudinally. We utilised data from a normative cohort of young adults (642 participants: 65% female, M_age = 23 years). Participants were classified as high risk or low risk for disordered eating using the SCOFF instrument. In the first two steps of both cross-sectional and longitudinal hierarchical logistic regression models, demographics and covariates were entered. For the cross-sectional regression, Adult ADHD self-report scale (ASRS) scores, separated into inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive symptoms, were entered in the third step. In a separate longitudinal model, Barratt impulsivity scale subscales (attentional, motor and non-planning impulsivity) were entered in the third step. Depression, as assessed by the moods and feelings questionnaire (MFQ), was examined as a mediator.

RESULTS

Cross-sectionally, sex, MFQ score and inattentive symptoms predicted disordered eating risk (model R² = 20%). Longitudinally, sex, MFQ score and attentional impulsivity predicted disordered eating risk (model R² = 16%). The relationship between inattentive symptoms and the disordered eating risk was partially mediated by MFQ score, whereas the relationship between attentional impulsivity and the disordered eating risk was fully mediated by MFQ scores.

CONCLUSIONS

These data highlight (1) a specific role for inattentive symptoms of ADHD and (2) the importance of both depression and impulsivity in predicting eating disorder risk.

Alexithymia, reward sensitivity and excessive exercise in non-binge-eaters versus severe binge eaters: Implications for primary and secondary exercise dependence

A distinction has been made between primary and secondary exercise dependence, with the latter defined as excessive exercise secondary to disordered eating and weight concerns. Based on theoretical considerations from research on the roles of trait factors in addictions, the present study used validated scales to assess alexithymia, sensitivity to reward and punishment, emotion regulation and interoception in relation to exercise dependence symptoms in Australian male and female non-binge eaters (n = 228) and severe binge eaters (n = 126) aged 18-30 yr. In both groups, exercise dependence symptoms were significantly positively associated with reward sensitivity and interoceptive awareness, with the latter two variables predicting exercise dependence symptoms in hierarchical regression models; punishment sensitivity was significantly negatively related to such symptoms. Alexithymia was significantly associated with exercise dependence symptoms only in non-binge eaters; in severe binge eaters, alexithymia explained 0% of unique variance. Male sex was associated with more exercise dependence symptoms in severe binge eaters only. Participants in the severe binge group scored significantly higher on measures of exercise dependence, alexithymia, risky alcohol use, and sensitivity to reward and punishment, and significantly lower on emotion regulation, compared to those in the non-binge group. Hierarchical regression models explained 25% of variance in exercise dependence symptoms in non-binge-eaters and 43% in severe binge eaters. Findings are discussed in terms of the distinction between primary and secondary exercise dependence, the role of alexithymia, study limitations including data collection during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, and suggestions for future research.

Alexithymia and binge eating: Maladaptive emotion regulation strategy or deficient interoception?

Alexithymia has been linked to various excessive behaviors as a likely risk factor, including binge eating. Such relationships are often attributed to deficient emotional self-regulation in alexithymia, ostensibly leading to the use of maladaptive, externalized behaviors as strategies for coping with distress. An alternative view is that alexithymia reflects a fundamental deficit of interoceptive awareness that, in the case of binge eating, would suggest that internal satiety cues are poorly recognized, promoting overconsumption. The present study assessed the relationship between alexithymia and binge eating in the context of these competing hypotheses. A large online sample of young adults (n = 532) completed validated measures of alexithymia, emotion regulation, interoception, binge eating, emotional eating motivation, and sensitivity to reward and punishment. Correlations were as expected except for interoception, which showed minimal association with alexithymia or binge eating. In a hierarchical regression controlling for age, gender, education level and student status as covariates, binge eating was predicted by emotional eating motivation, emotion regulation (a negative predictor), alexithymia, and reward sensitivity, with the final model explaining 53% of variance in binge eating. Bootstrapped path analyses controlling for all other variables indicated that the relationship between alexithymia and binge eating was mediated by deficient emotion regulation but not deficient interoception, and that the relationships of both alexithymia and emotion regulation with binge eating were mediated by emotional eating motivation. Results are consistent with the notion that the association of alexithymia with binge eating reflects deficient emotion regulation in alexithymia, which can lead to adoption of maladaptive, externalized behaviors such as binge eating for coping with distress.

Negative mood induction effects on problem-solving task in women with eating disorders: a multi-method examination

BACKGROUND

The effects of negative affect on problem-solving and its psychophysiological correlates are poorly understood in eating disorder populations.

METHODS

This study examined respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) and skin conductance responses of women with Binge Eating Disorder (BED: n = 56), Anorexia Nervosa (AN: n = 12), Bulimia Nervosa (BN: n = 32), and 24 healthy controls (HCs) at baseline, and then during: a negative mood induction task, an adapted Means Ends Problem-Solving (MEPS) task, and recovery. The MEPS task included four interpersonal scenarios: (1) binge-eating as a solution to stress, (2) job loss, (3) rejection by friends, and (4) by a significant other.

RESULTS

We found that individuals with eating disorders reported less positive mood than HCs and individuals with BN and BED reported more negative mood and greater urges to binge than HCs. After a negative mood induction, women with BED provided significantly less effective problem-solving strategies compared to HCs and women with BN for the binge-eating MEPS scenario. Relative to baseline and the negative mood induction, all participants exhibited significantly higher skin conductance measures throughout the MEPS scenarios and recovery. BED showed significantly lower respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) levels than individuals with BN and HCs throughout the protocol.

CONCLUSIONS

The multimethod findings suggest individuals with BED are likely to have disorder-specific problem-solving difficulties after a negative mood induction.

Binge eating among young adults: association with sociodemographic factors, nutritional intake, dietary n-6:n-3 ratio and impulsivity

Binge eating behaviour (BE) is the major symptom of binge eating disorder (BED). This study aimed to compare the nutritional intake in the presence or absence of BE, with a particular focus on dietary n-6:n-3 ratio, to assess the association between BE and impulsivity and the mediating effect of BMI on this association. A total of 450 university students (age 18-28 years) participated. The self-administered questionnaires were a semi-quantitative FFQ and the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale and the binge eating scale. The average BE score was 11·6 (se 7·388), and 20 % of the total participants scored above the cut-off of 17, thus presenting BE with 95 % CI of 16·3, 23·7 %. Our study revealed that greater BMI, higher total energy intake, greater negative urgency and positive urgency scores were significantly associated with BE. Participants with high value of dietary n-6:n-3 ratio were 1·335 more at risk to present a BE compared with those with a lower value of this ratio (P = 0·017). The relationship between BE score and UPPS domains score was not mediated by the BMI. This is the first study reporting a link between high dietary n-6:n-3 ratio and BE as well as the fact that BE was linked to both, negative and positive urgencies, and that the association between BE and impulsivity was not mediated by BMI. These findings can help to deal more efficiently with people suffering from BE, a symptom that can precede the development of BED.

Neurotic personality trait as a predictor in the prognosis of composite restorations: A 24-month clinical follow up study

The role of personality traits in modulating the incidence and progression of medical disease conditions are well documented, however, there is a paucity of information for its effects on dental health conditions and specifically on the prognosis of restorative dental materials. This study aims to evaluate the clinical performance of Micro-hybrid and Nano-ceramic composite restorations among patients with different personality traits. A total of 323 patients, indicated to receive operative treatment at a University Dental College Hospital, were invited to participate in this study. Consenting patients were requested to complete the Big Five Inventory (BFI-44 Item) personality questionnaire and were evaluated by a psychiatrist for categorizing the participants based on their personality traits. Out of the recruited patients, 124 patients falling in to the dominant trait of Agreeableness (n = 62) and Neuroticism (n = 62) were included in the study for further investigation. Next, patients from the Agreeableness (Group A) and the Neuroticism personality trait group (Group N) were randomly divided into two subgroups each—sub group Am (n = 44) and Nm (n = 48) for Micro-hybrid composite restorations and Sub group An (n = 42) and Nn (n = 47) for Nano-ceramic composite restorations. Two trained and calibrated dentists prepared the cavities according to previously published methodology. The restorations were evaluated at baseline (immediately after restoration), 6-months, 12-months and 24-months intervals by two blinded independent dental professionals for anatomical form, secondary caries, color match, retention, marginal adaptation, surface texture, marginal discoloration and post-operative sensitivity. There is no statistically significant difference noted in various parameters of restoration performance between Micro-hybrid composite and Nano-ceramic composite compared among ‘agreeableness’ personality group and among ‘neuroticism’ personality group after controlling the personality trait factor. Higher ‘Neuroticism’ individuals had higher restoration deterioration in color matching and surface texture when compared to higher ‘Agreeableness’ trait individuals. Regression analysis showed no effect of gender or cavity size on the outcome of results. Assessment of personality traits may serve as a useful tool during treatment planning which would aid clinicians in choosing suitable restorative dental material and prosthesis design according to individual patient’s physiological and functional needs, thereby overall improving the quality of treatment provided.

Threat appraisal partially mediates the relation between neuroticism and bulimic symptoms

Several studies support an association between neuroticism and bulimic symptoms; however, few studies have focused on how neuroticism exerts its influence. The purpose of this study was to extend the literature by investigating threat appraisal as a potential mediator of the relation between neuroticism and bulimic symptoms. One hundred and twenty women completed self-report measures of trait neuroticism, threat appraisal, and bulimic symptoms. Approximately half of the sample reported moderate or high levels of bulimic symptoms. Bootstrapping analyses revealed that neuroticism and threat appraisal were both positive predictors of bulimic symptoms. Further, threat appraisal partially mediated the association between neuroticism and bulimic symptoms. The findings suggest that women high in neuroticism may be vulnerable to experiencing bulimic symptoms, particularly during periods of heightened stress. These women may perceive bulimic behavior to be more effective in alleviating negative stressful emotions compared to more adaptive coping strategies. Based on the findings, women diagnosed with bulimia nervosa with high levels of neuroticism may benefit from interventions that specifically target threat appraisals to facilitate their ability to effectively adapt to stress.

Direct and Indirect Effects of Neuroticism on Internet Addiction in College Students: A Structure Equation Modeling Analysis

In the recent decade, increased severity of Internet addiction has been the focus of considerable attention. This research aimed to explore the relationships between neuroticism and Internet addiction. A total of 459 undergraduate students in China participating in this study completed self-report measures of neuroticism, impulsivity, and Internet addiction. The results showed that neuroticism, impulsivity, and Internet addiction were significantly and positively correlated with one other. The structural equation modeling approach indicated that impulsivity, in part, mediated the effect of neuroticism on Internet addiction. An important indirect path from neuroticism to Internet addiction through impulsivity was exposed using the bootstrap method. The outcomes of previous studies were expounded on to define how neuroticism affects Internet addiction.

Reduced Medial Prefrontal Control of Palatable Food Consumption Is Associated With Binge Eating Proneness in Female Rats

Binge eating is the core, maladaptive eating behavior that cuts across several major types of eating disorders. Binge eating is associated with a significant loss of control over palatable food (PF) intake, and deficits in behavioral control mechanisms, subserved by the prefrontal cortex (PFC), may underlie binge eating. Few studies, to date, have examined whether the PFC is directly involved in the expression of binge eating. As such, the present study investigated the functional role of the medial PFC (mPFC) in PF consumption, using an individual differences rat model of binge eating proneness. Here, we tested the hypothesis that binge eating proneness (i.e., high levels of PF consumption) is associated with reduced mPFC-mediated behavioral control over PF intake. In experiment 1, we quantified PF-induced Fos expression in both excitatory and inhibitory neurons within the mPFC in binge eating prone (BEP) and binge eating resistant (BER) female rats. In experiment 2, we pharmacologically inactivated the mPFC of BEP and BER female rats, just prior to PF exposure, and subsequently quantified PF intake and scores of feeding behavior. While most Fos-expressing neurons of the mPFC in both BEPs and BERs were of the excitatory phenotype, fewer excitatory neurons were engaged by PF in BEPs than in BERs. Moreover, pharmacological inactivation of the mPFC led to a significant increase in PF intake in both BEPs and BERs, but the rise in PF consumption was stronger in BEPs than in BERs. Thus, these data suggest that lower, PF-induced excitatory tone in the mPFC of BEP rats may lead to a weaker, mPFC-mediated behavioral “brake” over excessive PF intake.

Impulsivity and affect reactivity prospectively predict disordered eating attitudes in adolescents: a 6-year longitudinal study

Eating disorders (EDs) are associated with significant psychological and physical comorbidities, and adolescence is a particularly high-risk time for the development of EDs. Impulsivity (i.e., acting with little conscious judgment or forethought) and affect reactivity (i.e., changes in negative affect in response to a stressor) are hypothesized to contribute to the development of binge/purge ED pathology. The current study is the first to examine the prospective relationships between impulsivity and affect reactivity as predictors of the development of ED attitudes in adolescents over time. Two hundred six adolescents participated in a longitudinal study examining the development of psychopathology. ED attitudes were assessed via the College Eating Disorders Screen annually for 6 years. Baseline impulsivity and affect reactivity were also assessed. Affect reactivity, impulsivity, and their interaction were examined as baseline predictors of changes in ED attitudes over time using latent growth modeling. Results of latent growth modeling indicated that ED attitudes increased over time. The interaction between impulsivity and affect reactivity significantly predicted the slope of ED attitudes, such that the relationship between impulsivity and ED attitudes was strongest for those with elevated levels of affect reactivity. Findings suggest that greater levels of affect reactivity and impulsivity are key risk factors for the development of ED attitudes in adolescents. Subsequent research should examine the relation between affect reactivity and impulsivity in predicting objectively measured ED behaviors, in addition to ED attitudes. Further investigation may implicate affect reactivity and impulsivity as important targets for early intervention to prevent onset of ED symptoms in adolescents.

Genome-wide association study for risk taking propensity indicates shared pathways with body mass index

Risk-taking propensity is a trait of significant public health relevance but few specific genetic factors are known. Here we perform a genome-wide association study of self-reported risk-taking propensity among 436,236 white European UK Biobank study participants. We identify genome-wide associations at 26 loci (P < 5 × 10-8), 24 of which are novel, implicating genes enriched in the GABA and GABA receptor pathways. Modelling the relationship between risk-taking propensity and body mass index (BMI) using Mendelian randomisation shows a positive association (0.25 approximate SDs of BMI (SE: 0.06); P = 6.7 × 10-5). The impact of individual SNPs is heterogeneous, indicating a complex relationship arising from multiple shared pathways. We identify positive genetic correlations between risk-taking and waist-hip ratio, childhood obesity, ever smoking, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, alongside a negative correlation with women's age at first birth. These findings highlight that behavioural pathways involved in risk-taking propensity may play a role in obesity, smoking and psychiatric disorders.

Individual-level factors related to better mental health outcomes following child maltreatment among adolescents

Research on factors associated with good mental health following child maltreatment is often based on unrepresentative adult samples. To address these limitations, the current study investigated the relationship between individual-level factors and overall mental health status among adolescents with and without a history of maltreatment in a representative sample. The objectives of the present study were to: 1) compute the prevalence of mental health indicators by child maltreatment types, 2) estimate the prevalence of overall good, moderate, and poor mental health by child maltreatment types; and 3) examine the relationship between individual-level factors and overall mental health status of adolescents with and without a history of maltreatment. Data were from the National Comorbidity Survey of Adolescents (NCS-A; n = 10,123; data collection 2001-2004); a large, cross-sectional, nationally representative sample of adolescents aged 13-17 years from the United States. All types of child maltreatment were significantly associated with increased odds of having poor mental health (adjusted odds ratios ranged from 3.2 to 9.5). The individual-level factors significantly associated with increased odds of good mental health status included: being physically active in the winter; utilizing positive coping strategies; having positive self-esteem; and internal locus of control (adjusted odds ratios ranged from 1.7 to 38.2). Interventions targeted to adolescents with a history of child maltreatment may want to test for the efficacy of the factors identified above.

Mother and child personality traits associated with common feeding strategies and child body mass index

The feeding strategies that parents use with their children shape their children's attitudes and behaviors toward food. The present research examined whether personality traits of the mother and the child are associated with the types of feeding strategies mothers use with their children. The present research also examined whether these characteristics are associated with the child's body mass index (BMI). Mothers (N = 2928) reported how often they used three feeding strategies (Restriction, Pressure to Eat, Monitoring) with the target child and their personality and the personality of the child. Both mother and child Conscientiousness were associated significantly with less use of Restriction and Pressure to Eat and more use of Monitoring. Child Openness and Agreeableness were likewise related to less use of Restriction and Pressure to Eat. Mother and child Conscientiousness were associated with child obesity: Children with obesity scored lower in Conscientiousness and also had mothers who scored lower on this trait; Restriction and Pressure to Eat partially mediated the association between mother Conscientiousness and child BMI. The present findings suggest that individual differences in both mother and child personality are associated with the use of three common feeding strategies in childhood and the child's weight.

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms Are Associated with Overeating with and without Loss of Control in Youth with Overweight/Obesity

BACKGROUND

There is growing evidence that attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and loss of control (LOC) eating, both prevalent in children and adolescents, may be related to one another. However, the relationship between ADHD and overeating without LOC has been largely unexamined, thus precluding an understanding of the independent contributions of LOC and episode size in these associations. The current study sought to examine associations between ADHD symptoms and maladaptive eating by evaluating three different types of eating episodes characterized by the presence/absence of LOC and the amount of food consumed: objectively large LOC episodes [objective binge eating (OBE)], subjectively large binge episodes [subjective binge eating (SBE)], and objectively large overeating episodes without LOC [objective overeating (OO)].

METHODS

Participants were 385 youth (M age = 10.89, SD = 2.25) drawn from five different research protocols at institutions across the United States. Participants and their parents completed questionnaires and semistructured interviews to assess ADHD symptoms, OBE, SBE, and OO.

RESULTS

As hypothesized, negative binomial regressions revealed that ADHD symptoms were significantly associated with OBE, χ²(1) = 16.61, p < 0.001, and with OO, χ²(1) = 10.64, p < 0.01. Contrary to expectations, they were not associated with SBE.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate the need for future studies to explore possible shared mechanisms (e.g., impulsivity) underlying associations between ADHD symptoms, OBE, and OO. Clinical implications include support for considering ADHD symptoms in programs that target both prevention of LOC eating and obesity more generally.

Relationship and community factors related to better mental health following child maltreatment among adolescents

Research on factors associated with good mental health following child maltreatment is often based on unrepresentative samples and focuses on individual-level factors. To address these gaps, the present study examined the association between relationship- and community-level factors and overall mental health status among adolescents with and without a history of maltreatment in a representative sample. Data were drawn from the National Comorbidity Survey of Adolescents (NCS-A; n=10,148; data collection 2001-2004); a large, cross-sectional, nationally representative sample of adolescents aged 13-17 years from the United States. Having supportive parent and family relationships were significantly associated with good mental health (AOR ranging from 2.1 to 7.1). Positive community and school experiences were also significantly associated with good mental health (AOR ranging from 2.0 to 9.8). In most models, support from friends and siblings was not related to better mental health. Factors to be tested for efficacy in interventions targeted to adolescents with a history of child maltreatment include encouraging supportive parent and family relationships, and fostering positive community and school experiences.

Associations of neuroticism-impulsivity and coping with binge eating in a nationally representative sample of adolescents in the United States

OBJECTIVE

Binge eating behavior is a public health concern due to its negative physical and mental health consequences. Little is known about the interplay of personality traits, coping styles, and binge eating in the general adolescent population. We examined the associations among the combination of neuroticism and impulsivity (NI), maladaptive coping styles (poor problem solving, distraction, and escape-avoidance), and lifetime prevalence of binge eating in a nationally representative sample of U.S. adolescents. We also explored coping as a moderator of the NI-lifetime binge eating association and gender as a moderator of the NI-coping associations and coping-lifetime binge eating associations.

METHODS

We used data from the National Comorbidity Survey: Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A: 2001-2004), a cross-sectional nationally representative study of adolescents aged 13 to 18years (n=10,028). We studied the associations of NI and coping with lifetime binge eating using multivariate regression models.

RESULTS

High NI was significantly associated with all three coping styles, especially escape-avoidance (β=3.96, confidence interval [CI]=3.62, 4.29, p<0.001). Gender was a significant moderator of the NI-distraction coping association (β=-0.68, CI=-1.33, -0.03, p=0.041), indicating a stronger association in males (β=1.20, CI=0.81, 1.58, p<0.001) than females (β=0.53, CI=0.02, 1.03, p=0.042). Lifetime prevalence of binge eating was 1.13 times higher with increased escape-avoidance coping (CI=1.10, 1.18, p<0.001).

DISCUSSION

Our findings indicate significant associations among high NI, increased escape-avoidance coping, and higher lifetime prevalence of binge eating in adolescents. Findings of our study have potential to inform development of interventions that target modification of maladaptive personality traits and coping styles to reduce problematic eating.