Objective: We examined how personality traits are associated with eating pathology (EP) across a range of severities and symptom subtypes. Method: The National Comorbidity Survey Adolescent Supplement (N = 10,148) was used to compare personality across severities (i.e., clinical Eating Disorders [EDs], subclinical disordered eating, preclinical weight concerns, or no weight/EP [no W/EP]), subclinical subtypes (i.e., Binge Eating Only, Binge-Purge, Binge-Restrict, Restrict-Purge, or no W/EP), and clinical subtypes (i.e., Anorexia Nervosa [AN]), Bulimia Nervosa [BN], Binge Eating Disorder [BED], internalizing disorders, or no ED or internalizing disorder) of EP.

Results: More severe EP was associated with more extreme personality trait endorsements. Impulsivity-related traits did not consistently distinguish binge eating/purging from restricting subtypes, although behavioral disinhibition differentiated adolescents with BN or BED from AN.

Conclusion: Personality traits related to affectivity and impulsivity were more consistently associated with severity rather than subtype of EP.