Factores de Riesgo Personales en los Trastornos de Conducta Alimentaria en Adolescentes

Abstract

Entender cómo actúan las variables de personalidad es un elemento clave a la hora de estudiar los Trastornos de la Conducta Alimentaria (TCA), ya que predisponen al desarrollo de la patología. El objetivo principal de esta revisión es describir las variables personales en población adolescente que suponen factores de riesgo para los TCA, así como examinar la interacción de esos rasgos con la sintomatología alimentaria. Dentro de las variables, nos encontramos con tres grandes categorías: la primero de ellas hace referencia a los rasgos de personalidad, de los cuales se han relacionado con TCA el perfeccionismo, narcisismo, neuroticismo, autodirección, ansiedad-rasgo, asertividad, impulsividad, ira, baja autoestima, dependencia y hostilidad. Otro de los grupos pertenecientes a las variables de personalidad es la gestión emocional, donde hallamos la desregulación emocional, alexitimia, ansiedad y depresión, así como la influencia de la alimentación en el estado de ánimo. Por último, dentro de la categoría de estrategias cognitivas, se han relacionado con la patología alimentaria el locus de control, la preocupación excesiva, la búsqueda de sensaciones y de novedad, la evitación experiencial, defensas narcisistas, la rigidez cognitiva, obsesión, insatisfacción corporal, la percepción y necesidad de control y rumiación. Teniendo presente las variables de estudio, al final de la revisión se pretende dar diversas explicaciones de por qué los casos de patología alimentaria han incrementado tras la última pandemia del coronavirus.

Understanding how personality variables act is a key element when studying Eating Disorders (ED), since they predispose the development of the pathology. The main objective of this review is to describe these personal variables in the adolescent population that are exposed to risk factors for ED, as well as to examine the interaction of these traits with eating symptomatology. Among the variables, we found three main categories: the first one refers to personality traits, of which perfectionism, narcissism, neuroticism, self-direction, trait anxiety, assertiveness, impulsivity, anger, low self-esteem, dependence and hostility have been related to ED. Another of the groups belonging to the personality variables is emotional management, where we found emotional dysregulation, alexithymia, anxiety and depression, as well as the influence of food on mood. Finally, within the category of cognitive strategies, locus of control, excessive preoccupation, sensation and novelty seeking, experiential avoidance, narcissistic defenses, cognitive rigidity, obsession, body dissatisfaction, perception and need for control and rumination have been related to eating pathology. Keeping the study variables in mind, at the end of the review we aim to provide several explanations as to why cases of eating pathology have increased after the last coronavirus pandemic. Understanding how personality variables act is a key element when studying Eating Disorders (ED), as they predispose to the development of the pathology. The main objective of this review is to describe the personal variables in the adolescent population that are risk factors for ED, as well as to examine the interaction of these traits with eating symptomatology. Among the variables, we found three main categories: the first one refers to personality traits, of which perfectionism, narcissism, neuroticism, self-direction, trait anxiety, assertiveness, impulsivity, anger, low self-esteem, dependence and hostility have been related to ED. Another of the groups belonging to the personality variables is emotional management, where we found emotional dysregulation, alexithymia, anxiety and depression, as well as the influence of food on mood. Finally, within the category of cognitive strategies, locus of control, excessive preoccupation, sensation and novelty seeking, experiential avoidance, narcissistic defenses, cognitive rigidity, obsession, body dissatisfaction, perception and need for control and rumination have been related to eating pathology. Keeping in mind the study variables, at the end of the review we intend to give several explanations as to why the cases of eating pathology have increased after the last coronavirus pandemic.