title: Contributions of cognitive inflexibility to eating disorder and social anxiety symptoms.
abstract: Eating disorders and social anxiety are highly co-occurring. These disorders share fears of social evaluation, possibly maintained by similar cognitive content and styles, including an inability to adapt or flexibly respond to unexpected conditions. However, the role of cognitive inflexibility in eating disorders in relation to social anxiety has not been explored.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In this study, the link between eating disorder symptoms and cognitive inflexibility, while accounting for social anxiety, is examined.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants (N=461) were undergraduates who completed the Detail and Flexibility Questionnaire 12-item Cognitive Rigidity subscale, the Eating Disorders Diagnostic Scale, and the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eating disorder symptoms and social anxiety were both positively correlated with cognitive inflexibility. After controlling for social anxiety, the relationship between eating disorder symptoms and cognitive inflexibility remained robust.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Further examination of cognitive inflexibility in eating disorders and comorbid social anxiety in clinical samples is warranted. We suggest future directions for examining cognitive inflexibility as a trans-diagnostic construct important to eating disorders and frequently comorbid disorders, consistent with NIMH Research Domain Criteria.
authors.affiliation: Temple Eating Disorders program, Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States.
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arlt
authors.affiliation: Temple Eating Disorders program, Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States.
authors.forename: Angelina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yiu
authors.affiliation: Temple Eating Disorders program, Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States.
authors.forename: Kalina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Eneva
authors.affiliation: Adult Anxiety Clinic of Temple, Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taylor Dryman
authors.affiliation: Adult Anxiety Clinic of Temple, Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States.
authors.forename: Richard G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Heimberg
authors.affiliation: Temple Eating Disorders program, Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States.
authors.forename: Eunice Y
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005239:Fear / Q000523:psychology; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cognitive flexibility; Eating disorders; Social anxiety