Testing the interaction of thinness/restriction and negative affect reduction expectancies on disordered eating behavior.

OBJECTIVE

Thinness/restriction expectancies (i.e., perceived rewards from thinness/dietary restriction) and negative affect reduction expectancies (i.e., beliefs that eating will reduce negative emotions) are associated with disordered eating, but have largely been studied in isolation despite evidence that individuals can endorse these expectancies simultaneously. Guided by the goal conflict model, we hypothesized that for individuals reporting high levels of one type of expectancy, stronger endorsement of the second expectancy category would be associated with more dietary restriction, binge eating, and compensatory behaviors. A secondary aim included testing an adapted goal conflict model.

DESIGN

Interaction effects were tested using multiple linear and negative binomial regressions. Exploratory indirect effect models tested the adapted goal conflict model. Given gender differences, hypotheses were tested separately by gender.

MEASURES

Participants (N = 406, 54.2% female, non-Hispanic White = 68.8%, M = 20.99, M = 25.05) completed measures of thinness/restriction expectancies, negative affect expectancies, dietary restriction, binge eating, and compensatory behaviors (e.g., purging, laxative/diuretic use, compensatory exercise).

RESULTS

No statistically significant interaction of thinness/restriction and negative affect expectancies on disordered eating was observed for either the male or female sample. Main effects models revealed consistent findings across subsamples. Greater thinness/restriction expectancies were associated with more dietary restriction, binge eating, and compensatory behaviors. Greater negative affect reduction expectancies were associated with more binge eating. Exploratory indirect effect models yielded significant effects of each expectancy category on disordered eating.

CONCLUSION

Expectancies may be independent risk factors for disordered eating. Disordered eating prevention and intervention efforts may benefit from explicitly targeting thinness/restriction and negative affect expectancies.