# A longitudinal, momentary examination of interpersonal stress, inhibitory control, binge eating, and nonsuicidal self-injury

> **NIH NIH P20** · SANFORD RESEARCH NORTH · 2022 · $162,266

## Abstract

A longitudinal, momentary examination of interpersonal stress, inhibitory control, binge eating, and 
nonsuicidal self-injury 
PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT 
Eating disorders are associated with numerous, severe medical and psychological problems, including suicidal 
behaviors that lead to premature mortality. Approximately one-quarter to one-third of people with eating 
disorders have thought about and/or attempted suicide and an estimated quarter to half of individuals with 
eating disorders engage in nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI). Currently, the best available treatments for adults 
with eating disorders produce moderate remission rates and high dropout and relapse rates and do not have 
components targeting commonly co-occurring suicidal behaviors (e.g., NSSI). Thus, it is essential to develop a 
better understanding of eating disorders and the suicidal behaviors that often accompany them, so that we can 
develop more effective treatments. Eating disorder and NSSI research have both consistently found that 
interpersonal stress increases the risk of engaging in these dysregulated behaviors. Additionally, the scientific 
literature has linked low inhibitory control to eating disorder and suicidal behaviors. This project proposes to 
test the Interpersonal Model of Dysregulated Behaviors, which hypothesizes that high momentary interpersonal 
stress and low momentary inhibitory control lead to eating disorder and suicidal behavior. The model will be 
tested in a sample of college freshmen (due to this being a vulnerable period of time for the onset of eating 
disorder and suicidal behavior). Ecological momentary assessment protocols used at the beginning and end of 
freshman year will be used to test predictions about inhibitory control, interpersonal stress, and the interplay 
between the two variables in the prediction of subsequent binge eating and NSSI behavior. Achieving the aims 
of the study will deepen knowledge about the etiology and course of binge eating and NSSI over time. 
Importantly, the results will have implications for creating novel interventions that more effectively target these 
behaviors than existing treatments.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10379921
- **Project number:** 5P20GM134969-02
- **Recipient organization:** SANFORD RESEARCH NORTH
- **Principal Investigator:** Kathryn Hope Gordon
- **Activity code:** P20 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $162,266
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-04-01 → 2022-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10379921

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10379921, A longitudinal, momentary examination of interpersonal stress, inhibitory control, binge eating, and nonsuicidal self-injury (5P20GM134969-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10379921. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*