A Study of the Relationship between the Personality Traits and Cognitive Dissonance with Eating Disorder Symptoms

The purpose of this research was to investigate the relationship between personality traits and cognitive dissonance with eating disorder symptoms. This study was a correlational research and statistical population of the study included the persons who went to the nutritional clinics of Tehran in 2013. Of this population، 103 persons were selected through simple random sampling. Research tools included big five factor personality inventory، DARQ and eating attitude test. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis. Results showed that there was a significant relationship between the eating disorder symptoms and personality traits of the neuroticism arousal and cognitive arousal. Also the result of regression analysis indicated that the personality traits of the openness to experience and cognitive arousal could predict the eating disorder symptoms. Clinically، measurement of personality traits can be very helpful in identifying the obese and overweight persons who are at risk of abnormal eating behaviors. Furthermore، the results of this study showed the existence of arousal in causing compulsive behavior in dissonance condition and proposed the reduction of dissonance in treatment programs related to the eating behaviors.