The associations between pathological narcissism, alexithymia and disordered eating attitudes among participants of pro-anorexic online communities.
OBJECTIVE
This study investigated the relationships between pathological narcissism, alexithymia, and disordered eating attitudes among participants of pro-anorexic online communities. Specifically, we explored the possible moderating role of alexithymia in the relationships between narcissistic vulnerability and disordered eating attitudes.


METHODS
Participants included 97 Israeli female young adults who are active participants in pro-anorexic online communities. These participants completed a battery of self-reported questionnaires: The Pathological Narcissism Inventory (PNI); The Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26); and The Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20).


RESULTS
Narcissistic grandiosity, vulnerability, and alexithymia were positively related to disordered eating attitudes. Alexithymia moderated the relationships between narcissistic vulnerability and the total score of disordered eating attitudes. Furthermore, alexithymia moderated the relationships between both narcissistic vulnerability and grandiosity and the oral control subscale of EAT-26.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings highlight the interaction between the pathological narcissism and the fundamental trait of alexithymia that might put individuals at risk for disordered eating.
Ariel University, Ariel, 40700, Israel, gadize@ariel.ac.il.
Gadi
G
Zerach
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000523:psychology*; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000523:psychology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D009289:Narcissism; D010555:Personality Inventory; D060756:Social Networking; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult