An investigation of the dual continua model of mental health in the context of eating disorder symptomatology using latent profile analysis

Summary

This study tested the dual continua model of mental health, which proposes that mental wellbeing and mental illness are related but distinct dimensions, in the context of eating disorder symptoms. A sample of 346 female university students completed measures of mental wellbeing, eating disorder symptomatology, clinical impairment, and psychological distress. The authors used confirmatory factor analysis to examine the structure of these constructs and latent profile analysis to identify underlying mental health profiles. The profiles included individuals who reported high wellbeing despite clinical-level eating disorder symptoms, a pattern that a single illness-to-health continuum cannot capture. These results support treating wellbeing and eating disorder pathology as separate continua, with implications for assessment and for promoting positive mental health alongside symptom reduction.