Sternheim LC, Bijsterbosch JM, Wever MCM, van Elburg AA, Frank GKW. Examining anxious temperament in anorexia nervosa: Behavioural inhibition and intolerance of uncertainty and their contribution to trait anxiety in adolescents with anorexia nervosa.
J Affect Disord 2024;
348:116-123. [PMID:
38110154 DOI:
10.1016/j.jad.2023.12.035]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a serious and complex psychiatric disorder yet treatment results are suboptimal. Insight into the etiology of this illness is much needed. Research highlights the implication of anxiety-related traits in the development and maintenance of AN. This study investigates firstly, behavioural inhibition and intolerance for uncertainty (IU) in adolescents with and without AN, and secondly relations between these traits.
METHODS
In a cross-sectional study, 165 adolescent girls (AN = 94, HC = 71) completed questionnaires measuring behavioural inhibition, IU and trait anxiety. ANOVAs tested differences between AN and HC groups, and mediation models with IU as a mediator between behavioural inhibition and trait anxiety were run.
RESULTS
AN adolescents reported significantly higher levels of behavioural inhibition, IU and trait anxiety compared to their peers. In both AN and HC, a direct and a total effect of behavioural inhibition on trait anxiety was found. However, only in the AN group IU partially mediated the relation between behavioural inhibition and trait anxiety.
LIMITATIONS
Data is cross-sectional and longitudinal studies are required. A mean illness duration of nearly 2 years may mean early effects of malnourishment and habituation and future studies should include patients with shorter illness duration.
CONCLUSIONS
Results highlight that behavioural inhibition and IU may contribute to anxiety in AN whilst their peers may have developed better executive and social-emotional skills to manage uncertainty. Adolescents with AN may benefit from interventions targeting behavioural inhibition and IU.
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