Abstract
ObjectiveResearch suggests that beliefs about emotional controllability influence the use of emotion regulation strategies, which in turn impact psychological health and illness. However, no research has yet investigated whether emotional controllability is linked to eating psychopathology. The current study investigates whether these concepts are related, as individuals with eating disorders have problems with emotion regulation.MethodWe collected self-report data from 718 participants from a community sample using validated questionnaires, and ran mediational analyses to assess the relationship between emotional controllability and eating psychopathology, via reappraisal and suppression, two emotion regulation strategies.ResultsOur mediational analyses suggest that believing emotions to be uncontrollable relates to high levels of suppression (β = −.08), low levels of reappraisal (β = .19) and poorer eating disorder psychopathology (β = −.11). Reappraisal and suppression were found to partially mediate the relationship between emotional controllability and eating psychopathology.DiscussionThe current study has demonstrated relationships that support investigations relating emotional controllability, emotion regulation and psychological health. This research has potential implications for developing interventions to target beliefs about emotions in order to help improve emotion regulation skills and eating psychopathology.
Highlights
Emotional controllability refers to an individual’s beliefs about whether emotions are controllable or uncontrollable [1]
Our mediational analyses suggest that believing emotions to be uncontrollable relates to high levels of suppression (β = −.08), low levels of reappraisal (β = .19) and poorer eating disorder psychopathology (β = −.11)
Emotional controllability is an area of emotional functioning that has been relatively under-researched in relation to eating disorders (EDs), yet we think these concepts could be related as individuals with Eating Disorder (ED) have problems with emotion regulation [3]
Summary
Emotional controllability refers to an individual’s beliefs about whether emotions are controllable or uncontrollable [1]. Emotional controllability Believing that emotions are uncontrollable has been linked to experiencing more negative emotions, greater depression and lower levels of well-being. Individuals who held these beliefs had experienced more negative emotions and reported greater depression than those who had considered emotions to be controllable. These results were replicated by De Castella et al [2] who revealed that increased stress and depression, and decreased self-esteem and satisfaction with life were reported by those who believed that emotions cannot be controlled
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