Trait Impulsivity and Choice Impulsivity in Young Adult Students With Probable Binge Eating Disorder

Abstract

BackgroundBinge eating disorder (BED) as a public health problem has been included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). Akin to addictive disorders, impulsivity-related neuropsychological constructs might be potentially involved in the onset and development of BED. However, it remains unclear which facets of impulsivity are connected to overeating and binge eating behaviors among non-clinical populations. The present study aimed to detect the relationship between impulsivity and binge eating both on the personality-trait and behavioral-choice levels in undiagnosed young adults.MethodsFifty-eight individuals with probable BED and 59 healthy controls, matched on age, gender, and educational level, were assessed by using a series of self-report measurements, including the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11), UPPS-P Impulsive Behaviors Scale (UPPS-P), Delay Discounting Test (DDT), and Probability Discounting Test (PDT).ResultsMultivariate analysis of variance models revealed that compared with healthy controls, the probable BED group showed elevated scores on the BIS-11 Attentional and Motor impulsiveness, and on the UPPS-P Negative Urgency, Positive Urgency, and Lack of Perseverance. However, the probable BED subjects had similar discounting rates on the DDT and PDT with healthy controls. Regression models found that Negative Urgency was the only positive predictor of binge eating behavior.ConclusionsThese findings suggested that typical facets of trait impulsivity, which have been recognized in addictive disorders, were associated with binge eating in young adults, whereas choice impulsivity was not aberrantly seen in the same probable BED sample. This study might promote a better understanding of the pathogenesis of BED.

A Behavioral and Event-Related Potentials Study of Food-Related Inhibitory Control in Probable Binge Eating Disorder

“…This questionnaire consisted of demographic information (ie, age, gender, years of education, ethnicity, home locality, smoking and drinking behaviors) and a Chinese version of the Binge Eating Scale (BES), 44,45 which has been properly used among Chinese college students in previous studies. 46,47 A total of 862 students voluntarily responded to the screening questionnaire, 63 of whom were identified as individuals with pBED, with a total score ≥ 18 on the BES. 45,48 All 63 students voluntarily participated in our study and were subsequently scheduled to complete a person-to-person interview in the laboratory.…”

Trait Anxiety and Unhealthy Eating in Adult Women: The Mediating Role of Cognitive Instability

“…A recent study [23] found that higher scores on the BIS-11 subscale "attentional impulsiveness" were observed in normal-weight individuals (at risk for binge eating disorder). "Attentional impulsiveness" has been shown to be associated with binge eating in both normal-weight women [24] and those with obesity [25].…”

Validation and Psychometric Properties of the Chinese Version of the Binge Eating Scale in Young Adults

“… 25 In comparison to children and adolescents, young adults (eg, college students) actually have easier access to food in China and appear to be at a higher risk of developing binge-eating problems, particularly when they face heavy academic pressure and social competition. 24 , 26 , 27 Unfortunately, the validation and psychometric properties of the SCBES in Chinese young adults remain unclear. Moreover, the cross-cultural adaptability of the BES among young populations in China has limited evidence available.…”