Latent profiles of processes in acceptance and commitment therapy and their associations with eating disorder symptoms among adult women

Abstract

The present study examined the latent profiles of processes in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to enhance the sensitivity of acceptance- and mindfulness-based interventions, particularly in the prevention of eating disorder symptoms among non-clinical female adults. A sample of 1347 female adults was recruited from a large public university in Hawaii, and latent profile analysis was employed to identify distinct groups based on ACT processes measured by the Multidimensional Psychological Flexibility Inventory (MPFI). The study also explored the influence of participants' racial backgrounds and sexual orientations on the formation of these profiles, as well as the association between the identified profiles and eating disorder symptoms. The analysis revealed a five-profile solution, indicating that racial background and sexual orientation statistically significantly influenced profile categorization. Profiles characterized by high psychological flexibility and low psychological inflexibility were generally linked to lower levels of eating disorder symptoms. Notably, some profiles, such as the Moderately Flexible and Inflexible groups, necessitated a nuanced interpretation regarding their relationship with eating disorder symptoms. These findings emphasize the variability in individuals’ experiences of ACT processes and a person-centered approach in examining the associations between ACT processes and eating disorder symptoms.