Do orthorexia and intolerance of uncertainty mediate the relationship between autism spectrum traits and disordered eating symptoms?

Abstract

PURPOSE: Autism spectrum disorder traits have been implicated in the psychopathology of eating disorders and may also be relevant for the development of orthorexia symptoms. Further, intolerance of uncertainty (IUS) may indirectly contribute to the development of disordered eating, as the displacement of anxiety onto food may help achieve a sense of control and maximise certainty. We examined a new cognitive model of eating pathology which assessed the role of IU and orthorexia symptoms as potential mediators of the relationship between autistic traits and disordered eating in a community sample. METHODS: Three-hundred-and-ninety-six female participants (M = 20.07, SD = 4.52 years old) compl..