{"title":"Identifying key psychological characteristics among Chinese individuals with eating disorders: an exploratory graph and network analysis.","authors":"Liyun Zheng, Chao Chen, Darong Zhang, Xueni Li, Shuxia Geng, Qingmei Kong, Tianmei Si","doi":"10.1186/s40337-025-01348-1","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Interventions targeting core characteristics of eating disorders (EDs) can effectively alleviate symptoms. However, it remains unclear whether these characteristics exhibit cultural specificity within the Chinese population. This study combines exploratory graph analysis (EGA) and network analysis to identify key psychological characteristics in Chinese patients with EDs.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The psychological characteristics of 1,001 patients with EDs were assessed using the Eating Disorder Inventory-1 (EDI-1). Nineteen representative items were selected and categorized into different dimensions through EGA. Network analysis was then performed to identify key psychological characteristics by determining central and bridge nodes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In addition to the \"ED-specific\" and \"Non-specific\" categories, an unexpected category, \"Perfectionism,\" was identified. Across these three categories, four key psychological characteristics were highlighted: \"terrified of gaining weight,\" \"guilty after overeating,\" \"worry that feelings will get out of control,\" and \"must do things perfectly.\"</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Beyond drive for thinness, perfectionism and emotional regulation difficulties may represent key psychological characteristics among Chinese individuals with EDs. These findings could help inform the development of culturally tailored treatment strategies for EDs in China.</p>","PeriodicalId":48605,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Eating Disorders","volume":"13 1","pages":"149"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5000,"publicationDate":"2025-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12285173/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Eating Disorders","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-025-01348-1","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"NUTRITION & DIETETICS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: Interventions targeting core characteristics of eating disorders (EDs) can effectively alleviate symptoms. However, it remains unclear whether these characteristics exhibit cultural specificity within the Chinese population. This study combines exploratory graph analysis (EGA) and network analysis to identify key psychological characteristics in Chinese patients with EDs.
Methods: The psychological characteristics of 1,001 patients with EDs were assessed using the Eating Disorder Inventory-1 (EDI-1). Nineteen representative items were selected and categorized into different dimensions through EGA. Network analysis was then performed to identify key psychological characteristics by determining central and bridge nodes.
Results: In addition to the "ED-specific" and "Non-specific" categories, an unexpected category, "Perfectionism," was identified. Across these three categories, four key psychological characteristics were highlighted: "terrified of gaining weight," "guilty after overeating," "worry that feelings will get out of control," and "must do things perfectly."
Conclusion: Beyond drive for thinness, perfectionism and emotional regulation difficulties may represent key psychological characteristics among Chinese individuals with EDs. These findings could help inform the development of culturally tailored treatment strategies for EDs in China.
期刊介绍:
Journal of Eating Disorders is the first open access, peer-reviewed journal publishing leading research in the science and clinical practice of eating disorders. It disseminates research that provides answers to the important issues and key challenges in the field of eating disorders and to facilitate translation of evidence into practice.
The journal publishes research on all aspects of eating disorders namely their epidemiology, nature, determinants, neurobiology, prevention, treatment and outcomes. The scope includes, but is not limited to anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder and other eating disorders. Related areas such as important co-morbidities, obesity, body image, appetite, food and eating are also included. Articles about research methodology and assessment are welcomed where they advance the field of eating disorders.