The Relation between Symptoms of ADHD and Symptoms of Eating Disorders
Abstract
The current study examined the relationship between symptoms of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and eating disorder (ED) symptoms in an undergraduate population. One hundred and thirty-three students (male: n = 26; female: n = 107) completed questionnaires measuring constructs related to ADHD and ED symptomatology. Results indicated that higher ADHD symptoms significantly predicted higher ED symptoms, with the strongest relationship being found between inattentive ADHD symptoms and Bulimia symptoms in females. Specifically, it was found that characteristics related to affective problems and poor self-concept drive the relationship between ADHD and ED symptoms. No significant relationships were found between these variables in males. Findings suggest that there may be a number of mechanisms explaining this relationship including shared executive function deficits and mood challenges. These findings have meaningful implications for treatment of these disorders as well as critical implications for ED prevention.
Description
Keywords
Educational Psychology, Psychology
Citation
Baraskewich, J. (2017). The Relation between Symptoms of ADHD and Symptoms of Eating Disorders (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/28292