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. 2023 Jul;64(7):1056-1066.
doi: 10.1111/jcpp.13789. Epub 2023 Mar 23.

Facets of impulsivity and reward in relation to binge-eating disorder course of illness among children: findings from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study

Kathryn E Smith  1 , Wei-Lin Wang  2 , Tyler B Mason  2
Affiliations

Facets of impulsivity and reward in relation to binge-eating disorder course of illness among children: findings from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study

Kathryn E Smith et al. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2023 Jul.

Abstract

Background: The present study examined facets of impulsivity and reward sensitivity [as measured by the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale and Behavioral Activation and Behavioral Inhibition Scales (BIS/BAS)] as multivariable predictors of subsequent binge-eating disorder (BED) course of illness in middle childhood.

Methods: The current sample included children aged 9-10 years (N = 9,438) who took part in the baseline and 1-year follow-up assessments of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. BED course was operationalized as those who never developed BED or subthreshold BED (SBED) ('control'), were diagnosed with BED/SBED at year 1 but not baseline ('developers'), were diagnosed with BED/SBED at baseline but not year 1 ('remitters'), or were diagnosed with BED/SBED at both times ('maintainers').

Results: Higher baseline BIS/BAS reward responsivity scores were related to the greater likelihood of belonging to the maintainer group relative to the control and remitter groups (ORs1.12-1.19). Regarding covariates, higher baseline body mass index percentile and internalizing symptoms were related to the greater likelihood of BED development, remittance, and maintenance compared to the control group (ORs = 1.04-1.14); no variables were uniquely related to BED development. Exploratory analyses showed that the likelihood of belonging to the maintainer group compared to the control group was greatest at higher levels of negative urgency in combination with high reward responsivity.

Conclusions: Heightened reward responsivity may convey risk for poorer BED course in children, while emotional disorder symptomatology may act as a more general risk and maintenance factor for BED.

Keywords: Binge eating; eating disorder; impulsivity; personality; reward sensitivity; risk factors.

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Conflict of interest statement

Financial interests:

The authors declare they have no financial interests.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Schematic representing binge eating disorder/subthreshold binge eating disorder (BED/SBED) course. (Greater thickness of arrows indicate higher proportion of the sample.)
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Interaction between negative urgency and reward responsiveness predicting the odds of being grouped into the maintainer vs. control (never diagnosed) group.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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