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The Functional Significance of Shyness in Anorexia Nervosa
Author(s) -
Winecoff Amy A.,
Ngo Lawrence,
Moskovich Ashley,
Merwin Rhonda,
Zucker Nancy
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
european eating disorders review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.511
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1099-0968
pISSN - 1072-4133
DOI - 10.1002/erv.2363
Subject(s) - anorexia nervosa , eating disorders , shyness , psychology , novelty seeking , clinical psychology , bulimia nervosa , novelty , interpersonal communication , social skills , harm avoidance , psychopathology , developmental psychology , anxiety , psychiatry , temperament , social psychology , personality
The defining features of anorexia nervosa (AN) include disordered eating and disturbance in the experience of their bodies; however, many women with AN also demonstrate higher harm avoidance (HA), lower novelty seeking, and challenges with interpersonal functioning. The current study explored whether HA and novelty seeking could explain variation in disordered eating and social functioning in healthy control women ( n = 18), weight‐restored women with a history of AN ( n = 17), and women currently‐ill with AN (AN; n = 17). Our results indicated that clinical participants (AN + weight‐restored women) reported poorer social skills than healthy control participants. Moreover, the relationship between eating disorder symptoms and social skill deficits was mediated by HA. Follow‐up analyses indicated that only the ‘shyness with strangers’ factor of HA independently mediated this relationship. Collectively, our results suggest a better understanding of shyness in many individuals with eating disorders could inform models of interpersonal functioning in AN. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.