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Investigating transdiagnostic factors in eating disorders: Does self‐esteem moderate the relationship between perfectionism and eating disorder symptoms?
Author(s) -
Puttevils Louise,
Vanderhasselt MarieAnne,
Vervaet Myriam
Publication year - 2019
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.2666
Subject(s) - perfectionism (psychology) , eating disorders , psychology , clinical psychology , bulimia nervosa , self esteem
Abstract Objective According to Fairburns transdiagnostic model of eating disorders (EDs), high levels of perfectionism and low self‐esteem are two core traits across EDs. This study investigates the role of self‐esteem as a transdiagnostic moderator of the relationship between perfectionism and ED symptoms across EDs. Method A large group of patients ( n = 732) completed several questionnaires measuring perfectionism, self‐esteem, and disordered eating symptomatology, more specifically, drive for thinness (DFT) and body dissatisfaction (BD). Results Across EDs, self‐esteem served as a moderator for the association between perfectionism and DFT. However, by testing the model for DFT in each ED separately, the effect only remained in patients with anorexia nervosa and ED not otherwise specified. When testing the model for BD, no moderation effect was found in any of the included EDs. Conclusions This study found that the interaction between perfectionism and self‐esteem on DFT can be seen as transdiagnostic, although this effect is not found in each ED separately. These results suggest that ED treatment should consider to not only focus on transdiagnostic factors but also look at the specific impairments of each individual ED.