Objective: Women with bulimia nervosa (BN) often have very heterogeneous personality profiles. Cluster analysis has been used to identify personality profiles of women with BN. One of the clusters that has emerged most consistently is that of the dysregulated cluster, characterized largely by emotional lability and behavioral dysregulation. Despite the robustness of this cluster, previous research has been limited in that it has all been cross-sectional (and thus, stability of the clusters is unknown), and has mostly utilized clinical samples. The present study aimed to replicate the dysregulated cluster among a population-based sample and to examine the stability of cluster membership across time. Method: Participants included a longitudinal, convenience sample of female twins assessed at ages 17 and 25 from the Minnesota Twin Family Study. Facet scales from the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire were used to cluster the participants based on their personality. BN symptoms and behaviors were assessed to determine the prevalence of this pathology by cluster. Additional measures (i.e., alcohol use disorder symptoms, depressive symptoms, trait anxiety, and behavioral disinhibition) were assessed to determine correlates of the clusters and whether they are stable across time. Results: The dysregulated cluster was identified at both time points and it emerged as the most stable profile compared to the other clusters. Examination of the correlates revealed increased levels of alcohol use disorder symptoms, depressive symptoms, trait anxiety, and behavioral disinhibition among the dysregulated group with stability longitudinally. Discussion: Findings suggest that the dysregulated cluster is a relatively robust profile that is present across adolescence and into adulthood. Given the higher rates of BN symptoms in this compared to other clusters, future eating disorder research may benefit from focusing on this cluster when examining etiological and treatment features
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