Natalie A Noebel1, Crystal D Oberle2, Haley S Marcell1. 1. Department of Psychology, Texas State University, 601 University Dr., San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA. 2. Department of Psychology, Texas State University, 601 University Dr., San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA. oberle@txstate.edu.
Abstract
PURPOSE: This research explored whether orthorexia nervosa is associated with deficits in executive function. METHODS: A non-clinical sample of participants (n = 405; 80% women, 53% white, mean age = 24, mean body mass index = 25) completed the Orthorexia Nervosa Inventory (ONI) and the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Adult version (BRIEF-A). RESULTS: ONI scores were weakly to moderately correlated with all BRIEF-A scales (p < 0.001 for eight scales, p < 0.05 for one scale), exhibiting the greatest correlations with the scales assessing behavioral regulation: Emotional Control (r = 0.34), Inhibition (r = 0.30), Set Shifting (r = 0.25), and Self-Monitoring (r = 0.28). Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that eight of these nine relationships remained significant (p < 0.001 for five scales including all behavioral regulation scales, p < 0.01 for two scales, p < 0.05 for one scale) after controlling for demographic variables (e.g., gender, body mass index, age, education level) and diagnoses of an eating disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autism, and learning disability. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that, despite unique manifestations, orthorexia and anorexia may possess an overlapping neuropsychological profile marked by deficits in executive function, which may negatively impact daily life. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level V, descriptive cross-sectional study.
PURPOSE: This research explored whether orthorexia nervosa is associated with deficits in executive function. METHODS: A non-clinical sample of participants (n = 405; 80% women, 53% white, mean age = 24, mean body mass index = 25) completed the Orthorexia Nervosa Inventory (ONI) and the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Adult version (BRIEF-A). RESULTS: ONI scores were weakly to moderately correlated with all BRIEF-A scales (p < 0.001 for eight scales, p < 0.05 for one scale), exhibiting the greatest correlations with the scales assessing behavioral regulation: Emotional Control (r = 0.34), Inhibition (r = 0.30), Set Shifting (r = 0.25), and Self-Monitoring (r = 0.28). Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that eight of these nine relationships remained significant (p < 0.001 for five scales including all behavioral regulation scales, p < 0.01 for two scales, p < 0.05 for one scale) after controlling for demographic variables (e.g., gender, body mass index, age, education level) and diagnoses of an eating disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autism, and learning disability. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that, despite unique manifestations, orthorexia and anorexia may possess an overlapping neuropsychological profile marked by deficits in executive function, which may negatively impact daily life. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level V, descriptive cross-sectional study.
Authors: Hellas Cena; Friederike Barthels; Massimo Cuzzolaro; Steven Bratman; Anna Brytek-Matera; Thomas Dunn; Marta Varga; Benjamin Missbach; Lorenzo M Donini Journal: Eat Weight Disord Date: 2018-11-09 Impact factor: 4.652