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Abstract
The current study had the aim to assess whether temperamental traits mediate the relationship between time of puberty and eating disorder (ED) severity using a sample of 292 outpatients with EDs [68 with Anorexia Nervosa Restrictive Type (AN-R), 101 with Anorexia Nervosa Binge Purging Type (AN-BP), 72 with Bulimia Nervosa (BN) and 51 with Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorder (OSFED)]. Age of puberty, the severity of EDs, and temperamental traits were assessed through Demographic and Medical History Form, Eating Disorder Examination 17.0d (EDE-17.0d) and Temperament and Character Inventory-Revised (TCI-R), with a focus on the temperament scales: novelty seeking (TCI-NS), harm avoidance (TCI-HA), reward dependence (TCI-RD) and persistence (TCI-P). One-way ANOVA, correlation, and mediating analyses through structural equation modeling were performed to test the relationship between variables under investigation and assess if the four temperamental traits act as mediators in the relationship between time of puberty and ED severity. The results show a full mediating effect of the temperamental sub-scales on the relationship between puberty and EDE-17. In particular, TCI-R HA showed a complementary mediation on the relationship between age of puberty and EDE-17.0d, meaning that age of puberty increases the level of TCI-R HA, which in turn increases the severity of ED, confirming that this temperamental trait plays an important role in the development of ED after puberty. To conclude, temperamental traits seem to play a full mediating role in the relationship between puberty and ED severity, but more research is needed.
Data availability statement (DAS)
The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author, CP. The data are not publicly available due to containing information that could compromise the privacy of research participants.
Disclosure statement
No conflict of interest to declare.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Chiara Paganini
Chiara Paganini. Lecturer. Chiara has a strong interested in how biology and genetics influence mental health and psychopathologies. Currently lecturing in Research Methods and Mental Health at Australian College of Applied Psychology, she collaborated with several universities including University of Melbourne, University of Tasmania and Monash University. She is specialized in advanced quantitative and qualitative data analysis with a strong interested in structural equation modeling.
Gregory Peterson
Gregory Peterson. University of Tasmania. Distinguished Professor. Greg has a strong interested in pharmacy practice, clinical pharmacy/pharmacology, health service improvement, and health informatics. He has an international standing and record of accomplishment in the area of pharmacy practice research and programs to promote the safe and rational use of medications. He has led many state and national projects directed at improving patient outcomes in community, hospital and aged care sectors. Importantly, a number of projects have led to significant and sustained improvements in the quality (safety or cost-effectiveness) of medication use.
Katrina Andrews
Katrina Andrews. Senior Lecturer and researcher at Australian College of Applied Psychology and University of Sunshine Coast. Katrina’s research is influenced by the post-positivist or critical realist paradigms and has been located in the area of clinical psychology (depression) and social psychology (attribution theory). She has professional experience using both quantitative methodologies (both univariate and multivariate), and qualitative methodologies (thematic analysis and case study). Further, she has experience with psychometrics. Katrina is interested in mixed method methodologies and believes the marriage of both research paradigms in mixed methods is complementary, in line with a critical realist perspective.