Uncontrolled Eating in Young Women: Advancing Dimensional Approach on Internalizing Spectrum of Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology

This study aims to investigate the relationship between uncontrolled eating and the internalizing spectrum of psychopathology among young women, framed within the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP) model. In a cross-sectional study, 215 Romanian women aged 19–30 were assessed using the Inventory of Depression and Anxiety Symptoms (IDAS-II) and the Reward-Based Eating Drive Scale-13 (RED-13). Pearson correlation coefficients and multiple linear regression analyses were employed to examine the associations between uncontrolled eating behaviors and internalizing psychopathological symptoms. Significant correlations were found between uncontrolled eating and internalizing symptoms, with appetite gain exhibiting a strong positive association with uncontrolled eating. In addition, both Body Mass Index (BMI) and internalizing symptoms significantly predicted uncontrolled eating, accounting for a substantial portion of the variance in these behaviors. The study's findings support the HiTOP model's dimensional approach to psychopathology, demonstrating a signif-icant relationship between uncontrolled eating and internalizing psycho-pathological symptoms in young women. These results highlight the need for integrated treatment strategies that address both eating behaviors and internalizing psychopathologies. The study's limitations, including its sample homogeneity and crosssectional design, suggest caution in generalization and point towards the need for longitudinal research across diverse populations.