The Effects of Effortful Control, Interpersonal Distress, and Rejection Sensitivity on Eating Disorder Symptoms in College Students: A Moderated Mediation Model
Faculty Mentor
Kevin Meehan
Major/Area of Research
Clinical Psychology
Description
INTRODUCTION: This study aims to assess how effortful control and rejection sensitivity interact to influence interpersonal distress and in turn disordered eating in a diverse, non-clinical emerging adult sample, an under-researched demographic at high risk for ED symptomatology. Emerging adulthood is the typical age of onset of eating disorders; it is documented that around 82% of EDs occur by age 25 (Solmi et al., 2022). Interpersonal problems are considered to be a risk factor and a maintenance factor for EDs (Fairburn et al., 2003). Rejection sensitivity is a component of interpersonal distress with unique relevance to ED symptoms. Self-regulatory functions, such as effortful control, are likely involved in determining when reactive traits, like rejection sensitivity, amplify into more pervasive psychopathology. High effortful control buffered interpersonal distress in those high in rejection sensitivity, decreasing BPD traits (De Panfilis et al., 2016), but these variables have not yet been explored in relation to ED symptoms.
METHOD: A total of 185 individuals participated in the study. Of these, 21 participants were excluded due to failing attention and validity checks, resulting in a sample of 164 participants. Participants were recruited in 2016 through the LIU Psychology Experience Credits program and completed two cognitive control tasks followed by seven online self-report questionnaires on Qualtrics. The average age of participants was 19.6 (SD = 2.87) and all participants identified as female. In ethnicity, 26.4% of the sample identified as African or African-Caribbean, 21.5% as East, South, Central, or Southeast Asian, 20.2% as Latino/a, 11.7% as other, 11.0% as Middle Eastern, 8.0% as Western or Eastern European, and 1.2% as Native American. Participants completed a self-report demographics survey, as well as the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire, the Adult Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire, the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems – 32, and the Adult Temperament Questionnaire – Effortful Control Subscale. Mean-replacement was used when less than 10% of data was missing. Univariate and multivariate assumptions were met. Primary variables did not significantly differ by age or ethnicity. Hypotheses were tested with linear regression and Hayes PROCESS models.
RESULTS: Interpersonal distress was strongly related to ED symptoms (b = 2.13, p < .001), aligning with the theoretical and empirical literature. Only when effortful control was low did rejection sensitivity contribute to ED symptoms via interpersonal distress (b = -0.12, 95% confidence interval [-0.28, -0.00]). These results suggest self-regulatory functions are a crucial influence in determining when reactive traits like rejection sensitivity translate into disordered eating behaviors. This study’s findings diverge from the literature demonstrating a direct relationship between rejection sensitivity and increased ED symptoms.
DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: Limitations include the all-female sample and cross-sectional design, particularly for measuring self-regulation. Future research should explore the role of other contributors to interpersonal distress and ED symptoms such as trauma history, emotion regulation, and personality pathology.
The Effects of Effortful Control, Interpersonal Distress, and Rejection Sensitivity on Eating Disorder Symptoms in College Students: A Moderated Mediation Model
INTRODUCTION: This study aims to assess how effortful control and rejection sensitivity interact to influence interpersonal distress and in turn disordered eating in a diverse, non-clinical emerging adult sample, an under-researched demographic at high risk for ED symptomatology. Emerging adulthood is the typical age of onset of eating disorders; it is documented that around 82% of EDs occur by age 25 (Solmi et al., 2022). Interpersonal problems are considered to be a risk factor and a maintenance factor for EDs (Fairburn et al., 2003). Rejection sensitivity is a component of interpersonal distress with unique relevance to ED symptoms. Self-regulatory functions, such as effortful control, are likely involved in determining when reactive traits, like rejection sensitivity, amplify into more pervasive psychopathology. High effortful control buffered interpersonal distress in those high in rejection sensitivity, decreasing BPD traits (De Panfilis et al., 2016), but these variables have not yet been explored in relation to ED symptoms.
METHOD: A total of 185 individuals participated in the study. Of these, 21 participants were excluded due to failing attention and validity checks, resulting in a sample of 164 participants. Participants were recruited in 2016 through the LIU Psychology Experience Credits program and completed two cognitive control tasks followed by seven online self-report questionnaires on Qualtrics. The average age of participants was 19.6 (SD = 2.87) and all participants identified as female. In ethnicity, 26.4% of the sample identified as African or African-Caribbean, 21.5% as East, South, Central, or Southeast Asian, 20.2% as Latino/a, 11.7% as other, 11.0% as Middle Eastern, 8.0% as Western or Eastern European, and 1.2% as Native American. Participants completed a self-report demographics survey, as well as the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire, the Adult Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire, the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems – 32, and the Adult Temperament Questionnaire – Effortful Control Subscale. Mean-replacement was used when less than 10% of data was missing. Univariate and multivariate assumptions were met. Primary variables did not significantly differ by age or ethnicity. Hypotheses were tested with linear regression and Hayes PROCESS models.
RESULTS: Interpersonal distress was strongly related to ED symptoms (b = 2.13, p < .001), aligning with the theoretical and empirical literature. Only when effortful control was low did rejection sensitivity contribute to ED symptoms via interpersonal distress (b = -0.12, 95% confidence interval [-0.28, -0.00]). These results suggest self-regulatory functions are a crucial influence in determining when reactive traits like rejection sensitivity translate into disordered eating behaviors. This study’s findings diverge from the literature demonstrating a direct relationship between rejection sensitivity and increased ED symptoms.
DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: Limitations include the all-female sample and cross-sectional design, particularly for measuring self-regulation. Future research should explore the role of other contributors to interpersonal distress and ED symptoms such as trauma history, emotion regulation, and personality pathology.