Eating Disorders, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and Social Functioning: A Conditional Process Analysis

Abstract

Abstract Background: This study examined the relationship between eating disorder (ED) and ADHD symptoms and their impact on social functioning. It aimed to clarify the mechanisms whereby the symptoms of ED cause impairment through their impact on general social functioning. Method: A community sample of 160 Latino adults completed an anonymous online survey including self-report measures of symptoms of ED and ADHD, social functioning, and social functioning related to eating behavior. We tested a conditional process model that posits that social functioning related to eating behavior mediates the effect of ED on general social functioning, while ADHD symptoms moderate the effect of ED on general social functioning. Results: Results support the hypothesized model. We show that the effect of ED on social functioning is fully mediated by social functioning related to eating behavior. However, we found no evidence of a significant conditional effect of ED symptoms on general social functioning as being moderated by ADHD symptoms at the levels of ADHD symptoms that we tested. Overall, increased ED and ADHD symptoms, as well as poorer social functioning related to eating behaviors, were associated with reduced general social functioning. Conclusions: Both eating disorder and ADHD symptoms are associated with diminished general social functioning. This underscores the importance of screening for and addressing ADHD symptoms in ED populations, and vice versa, in clinical settings. The findings highlight the important role of social functioning related to eating behavior as the mechanism whereby ED symptoms cause impairment by diminishing general social functioning. We discuss clinical and research implications.