Emotion Regulation Difficulties Differentially Predict Loss-of-Control Eating Dependent on Degree of Narcissistic Traits in College Students

Loss-of-control eating (LOCE) is highly prevalent in college students and may be driven by enduring psychological vulnerabilities, such as some personality traits. The personality construct of narcissism is often conceptualized with two broad domains: grandiose and vulnerable. Grandiose narcissism includes characteristics such as heightened sense of self-importance, entitlement, and lack of empathy, whereas vulnerable narcissism refers to traits such as feelings of inadequacy and hypersensitivity. Although potential deleterious associations between the domains of narcissism and binge eating have been assessed in scant prior research, neither the association between narcissism and LOCE has been assessed, nor has the potential influence of emotion regulation deficits, which are differentially associated with grandiosity and vulnerability. The primary goal of this study is to assess the associations between endorsement of narcissistic traits and LOCE in college students, both directly and via mediating influence of emotional regulation difficulties. Participants (n = 704) completed a survey on pathological eating and body image disturbance, emotion regulation difficulties, and narcissistic traits. Results supported a full mediation effect for both pathways, such that vulnerable narcissism was positively associated with LOCE by way of emotion regulation difficulties, but grandiose narcissism was inversely, indirectly associated. Clinical implications and directions for future research are discussed.