An exploratory study of associations between the ICD-11 personality disorder model and eating pathology

BACKGROUND: Recently, the International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision (ICD-11) has introduced a paradigm shift in personality disorder conceptualization. The novel ICD-11 personality disorder model comprises a dimensional assessment of personality dysfunction and five maladaptive personality trait domains. Maladaptive personality plays a central role in eating pathology. Yet, relations between the ICD-11 personality disorder model and eating pathology are, to date, unclear. Thus, this study aimed to explore the bivariate, incremental, and interactive associations of the ICD-11 personality disorder model components with eating pathology domains. METHODS: A predominantly female (85%) sample of 888 German-speaking community adults completed validated self-report measures of personality dysfunction, the ICD-11 personality trait domains, and five eating pathology domains (drive for thinness, bulimia, body dissatisfaction, orthorexia, binge eating). Bivariate and hierarchical regressions models were used to investigate bivariate, incremental, and interactive relations between the ICD-11 personality disorder model components and eating pathology. RESULTS: Personality dysfunction and the ICD-11 personality trait domains showed statistically significant bivariate relations with eating pathology. Additionally, personality dysfunction and most ICD-11 personality trait domains displayed incremental links with eating pathology. Finally, the relations of the ICD-11 personality trait domains with eating pathology were largely independent of the severity of personality dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicated that all ICD-11 personality disorder model components are uniquely linked to eating pathology. Beyond maladaptive personality trait domains, the strong and incremental relations of personality dysfunction with eating pathology have potential implications for theory building. Further research using longitudinal designs is needed to evaluate causal links between the ICD-11 personality disorder model components and eating pathology. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40337-022-00658-y.