Self-regulation profiles reflecting distinct levels of eating disorder and comorbid psychopathology in the adult population: A latent profile analysis.

OBJECTIVE

Previous research showed that individuals with eating disorders (EDs) can be subtyped by their levels of psychopathology and self-regulation abilities. However, nothing is known about whether self-regulation abilities are solely suited to depict the heterogeneity in ED and comorbid psychopathology in nonclinical samples. Therefore, this study sought to explore self-regulation profiles and their ability to discriminate ED, depression and anxiety disorders, and personality dysfunction in the adult population.

METHODS

Within a German representative sample, N = 2391 adults (18-92 years) were examined using latent profile analysis to identify profiles based on established cognitive and emotional self-regulation scales including attention control, cognitive reappraisal, and difficulties in identifying feelings. Profiles were validated with ED, depression, anxiety, and personality dysfunction measures.

RESULTS

The final solution selected as best balancing goodness of fit and interpretability included four profiles-High-Functioning, Moderate-Functioning, Dysregulated, and Alexithymic-with high explanatory power of R2  = .99. Profiles were characterized primarily by differences in difficulties in identifying feelings followed by differences in attention control and differed significantly regarding ED, depression and anxiety disorders, and personality dysfunction, with the Dysregulated profile showing the most unfavorable correlates.

CONCLUSIONS

This study uniquely revealed that low cognitive and emotional self-regulation were indicators for ED, depression, anxiety, and personality dysfunction in the adult population. Future research should investigate whether the identified profiles predict the development of ED and comorbid psychopathology longitudinally.

PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE: Individuals with eating disorders present with difficulties in cognitive and emotional self-regulation, likely maintaining their symptoms. This representative study in the German adult population sought to build profiles based on cognitive and emotional self-regulation that differed in eating disorder and comorbid psychopathology. We discuss the potential to detect individuals with elevated eating disorder and comorbid psychopathology based on the identified profiles in nonclinical settings.