Multiple mediation analyses on exercise addiction and muscularity-oriented eating in young adults
Issued Date
2026-01-01
Resource Type
ISSN
00223956
eISSN
18791379
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-105019959222
Pubmed ID
41130169
Journal Title
Journal of Psychiatric Research
Volume
192
Start Page
10
End Page
19
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Journal of Psychiatric Research Vol.192 (2026) , 10-19
Suggested Citation
Tsai J.F., Rudeejaroonrung K., Chaimano S., Efendi F., Lin C.Y., Lee C.T., Ng A.K., Paratthakonkun C., Strong C., Tsai M.C. Multiple mediation analyses on exercise addiction and muscularity-oriented eating in young adults. Journal of Psychiatric Research Vol.192 (2026) , 10-19. 19. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2025.10.026 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/114331
Title
Multiple mediation analyses on exercise addiction and muscularity-oriented eating in young adults
Corresponding Author(s)
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
Disordered eating and exercise behaviors may co-occur with muscle dysmorphia. This study investigates potential psychological mediators (psychological distress, weight self-stigma, drive for muscularity, drive for leanness) of the relationships between muscle dysmorphia and exercise addiction and muscularity-oriented eating in young Taiwanese individuals. We also examined whether these mediating effects differed by sex and sexual orientation. A cross-sectional sample of 1500 young adults (M<inf>age</inf> = 22.3 years, 38.3 % male) participated in an anonymous online survey. We performed mediation analyses using AMOS to investigate the indirect effects of potential psychological mediators and multi-group analyses to examine the variation between males and females and between heterosexual and non-heterosexual individuals. We found that weight self-stigma, drive for muscularity, and drive for leanness were significant mediators, and these effects were invariant across sex and sexual orientation. Psychological distress, weight self-stigma, drive for muscularity, and drive for leanness mediated the relationship between muscle dysmorphia and muscularity-oriented eating. Males were more likely to report muscularity-oriented eating influenced by weight self-stigma and drive for leanness, and drive for leanness was more likely to facilitate heterosexual participants toward muscularity-oriented eating than non-heterosexual subjects. Successful interventions for disordered eating and exercise require an understanding of the underlying psychological and behavioral drivers.