Latent classes of eating disorders and addictions by sex: Implication of alexithymia and stressful life events in youths

Laura Macía; Janire Momeñe López; Patricia Macía; Marta Herrero; Paula Jauregui; Iciar Iruarrizaga; Ana Estévez

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1088595

Latent classes of eating disorders and addictions by sex: Implication of alexithymia and stressful life events in youths

Front Psychol. 2023 Feb 10:14:1088595. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1088595. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Laura Macía¹, Janire Momeñe López¹, Patricia Macía², Marta Herrero¹, Paula Jauregui¹, Iciar Iruarrizaga³, Ana Estévez¹

Affiliations

¹ Psychology Department, School of Health Sciences, University of Deusto, Bilbao, Spain.
² Department of Basic Psychological Processes and their Development, University of the Basque Country/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU), Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain.
³ Department of Experimental Psychology, Cognitive Processes and Speech Therapy, Faculty of Social Work, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.

Abstract

Introduction: Eating disorders (EDs) and behavioural addictions show common psychological vulnerability factors such as alexithymia and stressful life events (SLE). This study aims, firstly, to explore the prevalence and latent profiles of participants based on their risk of suffering EDs, gambling disorder (GD), alcohol and/or drug abuse, and compulsive buying (CB) by sex. Secondly, it aimed to test whether alexithymia and having experienced SLE are associated with group membership.

Methods: The sample was predominantly drawn from university students and social networks. It was composed of 352 young adults between 18 and 35 years old, of whom 77.8% were women and 22.2% men.

Results: The results showed that the most prevalent disorders of the sample were alcohol, EDs, CB, drugs and GD, respectively. Moreover, latent class analyses were conducted based on the risk of suffering EDs or addictions by sex. Three main profiles were found: 'Men with addictions', 'Healthy women' and 'Women with EDs'. Finally, differences in SLE and alexithymia levels were tested by latent classes. "Men with addictions" and "Women with EDs" had higher scores on alexithymia and SLE than the group of "Healthy women". However, the group of "Women with EDs" (class 3) reported significantly higher levels of SLE and alexithymia than the other two groups.

Discussion and conclusion: In conclusion, we discuss the possibility that some vulnerability factors operate generally and transdiagnostically in EDs and addictive disorders. The identification of clinical phenotypes could complement and deepen prediction, prevention and treatment research in clinical settings. The need to take sex and gender differences into account is reinforced.

Keywords: addiction; alexithymia; eating disorder; gambling; sex differences; stressful life events.