Clarifying the pathway from anxiety sensitivity to binge eating: The mediating role of depressive symptoms in a 3-week, 3-wave longitudinal study of undergraduates

Anxiety sensitivity (AS) – characterized by a persistent fear that arousal-related bodily sensations will lead to serious cognitive, physical, and/or social consequences – is associated with various psychopathologies, including depressive symptoms and binge eating. This 3-week, 3-wave longitudinal study examined the relation between AS (including its global AS factor and lower-order AS cognitive, physical, and social concern dimensions), depressive symptoms, and binge eating among 410 undergraduates from two universities. Using generalized estimating equation models, we found that global AS, AS social concerns, and depressive symptoms predicted binge eating during any given week. Mediation analyses showed that global AS (as a latent variable with its lower-order AS dimensions as indicators), AS cognitive concerns, and AS physical concerns at Wave 1 predicted subsequent increases in depressive symptoms at Wave 2, which, in turn, led to increases in binge eating at Wave 3. Findings contribute to a better understanding of the interplay between AS, depressive symptoms, and binge eating, highlighting the role of binge eating as a potential coping mechanism for individuals with high AS, particularly in managing depressive symptoms. This study underscores the importance of AS-targeted intervention and prevention efforts in addressing depressive symptoms and binge eating.