Springfield, Cassi R.Bonfils, Kelsey A.Chernov, Nikita V.Moiseeva, Tatyana V.Sozinova, Marta V.Dmitryeva, Nadezhda G.Lysaker, Paul H.Karpenko, Olga A.Kostyuk, George P.2024-05-282024-05-282023-07-10Springfield CR, Bonfils KA, Chernov NV, et al. The paradoxical moderating effects of metacognition in the relationships between self-esteem, depressive symptoms, and quality of life in anorexia and bulimia. Consort Psychiatr. 2023;4(2):6-20. Published 2023 Jul 10. doi:10.17816/CP6139https://hdl.handle.net/1805/41038Background: Self-esteem and depressive symptoms contribute to a lower quality of life in people suffering from eating disorders. However, limited research has examined whether other factors may affect how these variables influence one another over time. Metacognition is a previously unexplored determinant that may impact the relationships between self-esteem, depressive symptoms, and quality of life in instances of eating disorders. Aim: This study sought to examine metacognitive self-reflectivity and mastery as moderators of the relationships between self-esteem, depressive symptoms, and quality of life and to determine if these relationships are different in people with anorexia compared with people with bulimia. Methods: Participants with anorexia (n=40) and bulimia (n=40) were recruited from outpatient clinics. The participants were assessed on their metacognitive ability and self-reported on measures to assess their depressive symptoms, self-esteem, and quality of life. Results: The results indicate that metacognitive self-reflectivity moderates the relationship between self-esteem, depressive symptoms, and quality of life in people with anorexia such that when self-reflectivity is high, lower self-esteem and higher depressive symptoms are associated with a lower quality of life. These relationships did not appear to be significant when self-reflectivity was low. In contrast, in the anorexia and bulimia groups, metacognitive mastery appeared to moderate the relationships between self-esteem, depressive symptoms, and quality of life such that when mastery was low, lower self-esteem and higher depressive symptoms were associated with a lower quality of life. These relationships did not appear significant when mastery was high. Conclusion: Metacognitive self-reflectivity and mastery seem to play paradoxical moderating roles in the relationships between self-esteem, depressive symptoms, and quality of life in people with anorexia and bulimia. These findings pave the way toward further research and have important clinical implications.en-USAttribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 InternationalEating disordersSelf-reflectivityBulimiaAnorexiaMetacognitive masteryArticle