title: The functional significance of shyness in anorexia nervosa.
abstract: The defining features of anorexia nervosa (AN) include disordered eating and disturbance in the experience of their bodies; however, many women with AN also demonstrate higher harm avoidance (HA), lower novelty seeking, and challenges with interpersonal functioning. The current study explored whether HA and novelty seeking could explain variation in disordered eating and social functioning in healthy control women ( n = 18), weight-restored women with a history of AN (n = 17), and women currently-ill with AN (AN; n = 17). Our results indicated that clinical participants (AN + weight-restored women) reported poorer social skills than healthy control participants. Moreover, the relationship between eating disorder symptoms and social skill deficits was mediated by HA. Follow-up analyses indicated that only the 'shyness with strangers' factor of HA independently mediated this relationship. Collectively, our results suggest a better understanding of shyness in many individuals with eating disorders could inform models of interpersonal functioning in AN.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Bard College, Annandale-On-Hudson, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Amy A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Winecoff
authors.affiliation: Medical Scientist Training Program, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA.|Department of Neurobiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Lawrence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ngo
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.|Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Ashley
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moskovich
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Rhonda
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Merwin
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.|Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zucker
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D057215:Body Dysmorphic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002032:Bulimia / Q000175:diagnosis; D005106:Exploratory Behavior; D005260:Female; D040261:Harm Reduction; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008875:Middle Aged; D012792:Shyness; D012917:Social Adjustment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: anorexia nervosa; harm avoidance; shyness; social functioning; temperament