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Nonhomeostatic eating is a complex (presumably) multidimensional construct associated with negative health outcomes. However, little research has examined the latent structure of nonhomeostatic eating processes, interrelationships among nonhomeostatic eating constructs, and differential associations between nonhomeostatic eating constructs and external correlates. This study adopted a construct validation approach to investigate these research questions in a large sample of undergraduate women and men (N ϭ 998; 54.6% female). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted on items from 8 measures representing numerous nonhomeostatic eating process constructs (e.g., binge eating, loss of control [LOC] over eating, "food addiction"). The 7-factor retained solution included the following: (1) emotional eating, (2) external eating, (3) LOC over eating, (4) overeating, (5) distress over nonhomeostatic eating, (6) hedonic hunger, and (7) food addiction. LOC over eating was the nonhomeostatic eating factor most strongly related to other factors (M rs ϭ .71 and .65 in women and men, respectively). Factor score multiple regressions conducted separately by sex indicated that distress over nonhomeostatic eating was related to body mass index, depressive symptoms, and eating-related clinical impairment in both women and men. In women, food addiction demonstrated unique associations with depressive symptoms, emotion dysregulation, and clinical impairment, whereas overeating uniquely predicted these outcomes in men. This is the first comprehensive analysis of the latent structure of nonhomeostatic eating processes and associations with external correlates, and results suggest that LOC over eating, distress over nonhomeostatic eating, food addiction (in women), and overeating (in men) exhibited the strongest relations with psychosocial impairment. Public Significance StatementThis study found evidence for seven distinct forms of nonhomeostatic eating in young adult women and men. The forms of nonhomeostatic eating that were most strongly associated with negative psychological adjustment were losing control over eating, feelings of guilt and distress over eating behavior, the experience of being "addicted" to food (for women), and the behavior of eating beyond physiological needs (for men).

Background: Reassurance seeking (RS) is motivated by perceived general and social/relational threats across disorders, yet is often under-recognized because it occurs in covert (i.e. subtle) and overt forms. Covert safety-seeking behaviour may maintain disorders by preventing corrective learning and is therefore important to identify effectively. Aims: This study presents the validation and psychometric analyses of a novel measure of covert and overt, general and social/relational threat-related interpersonal RS. Method: An initial 30-item measure was administered to an undergraduate sample (N = 1626), as well as to samples of individuals diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD; n = 50), anxiety disorders (n = 60) and depression (n = 30). The data were subjected to exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, and validation analyses. Results: An exploratory factor analysis using principal axis factoring with oblique rotation yielded five interpretable factors, after removing four complex items. The resulting 26-item measure, the Covert and Overt Reassurance Seeking Inventory (CORSI), evidenced good convergent and divergent validity and accounted for 54.99% of the total variance after extraction. Factor correlations ranged from r = .268 to .736, suggesting that they may be tapping into unique facets of RS behaviour. In comparison with undergraduate participants, all clinical groups had significantly higher total scores [t (51.80–840) = 3.92–5.84, p < .001]. The CFA confirmed the five-factor model with good fit following the addition of four covariance terms (goodness of fit index = .897, comparative fit index = .918, Tucker–Lewis index = .907, root mean square error approximation = .061). Conclusion: The CORSI is a brief, yet comprehensive and psychometrically strong measure of problematic RS. With further validation, the CORSI has potential for use within clinical and research contexts.

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Objective Individuals with eating disorder (ED) symptoms are sensitive to social threat and report maladaptive interpersonal styles that may contribute to and exacerbate negative evaluation from others. Research in this area has relied primarily on self‐report. The current study examined associations between behavioral responses to social threat and core ED symptoms using a behavioral paradigm. Based on previous findings that individuals with binge‐eating report being more reactive and confrontational, whereas individuals with dietary restriction tend to be more submissive and avoidant of conflict, we hypothesized that binge eating would be associated with a greater tendency to retaliate against rejection perpetrators, whereas dietary restriction would be associated with a lower tendency to retaliate when rejected. Method Undergraduate women (N = 132) completed a self‐report measure of ED symptoms and participated in an online “Survivor”‐type game in which they voted to either accept or reject computerized coplayers, while also receiving acceptance or rejection feedback from others. Results Neither ED symptom was associated with how often participants retaliated against coplayers who rejected them. However, dietary restriction was related to more rejection votes overall (i.e., the tendency to reject others regardless of how others voted). Discussion Findings suggest that individuals with dietary restriction may rely on a maladaptive defensive strategy aimed at pre‐empting rejection, or alternatively, have difficulty shifting from habitual self‐isolating behavior that results from over‐involvement with restricting symptoms. Interventions targeting hypersensitivity to social threat or interpersonal flexibility may help reduce interpersonal stress and mitigate its impact on restricting symptoms.