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Date of Award

Spring 2013

Document Type

Restricted Thesis: Campus only access

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Dr. Laura E. Knouse

Abstract

Individuals with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) may be at increased risk for developing binge eating disorder (BED). While BED has been found to have such severe negative consequences, it has not been studied as extensively as other eating disorders; thus, it is important to gain more insight into the constructions that underlie this disorder to aid in prevention and treatment. Impulsivity has been identified as a construct which correlates with BED as well as ADHD; however, more research is needed to further explore whether impulsivity may play an underlying role in the observed relationship between ADHD and BED. Questionnaires were used to assess ADHD symptoms and BED symptoms and multiple questionnaires and a behavioral task were used to holistically study impulsivity in undergraduate participants (n = 50) to examine impulsivity as a potential mediator of the relationship between ADHD and BED. Expected correlations were found among ADHD symptoms, binge eating tendencies, and measures of impulsivity with the exception of impulsivity on the behavioral task and binge eating symptoms; however, none of the measures of impulsivity was found to be a significant mediator between ADHD and binge eating symptoms. Since the population struggling with both ADHD and BED requires highly specialized treatment programs, more research on this relationship would be highly valuable for improving interventions for these individuals.

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