Emotion regulation difficulties, child sexual, physical, and emotional abuse and emotional eating

Abstract

Child abuse is known to increase risk for emotional eating (EE) due to emotion regulation (ER) difficulties. The specific ER difficulties that mediate relationships between child sexual abuse (CSA), child physical abuse (CPA), child emotional abuse (CEA) and EE remain unknown. We examined ER difficulties (nonacceptance of emotions, lack of emotional awareness, lack of emotional clarity, difficulty engaging in goal-directed behaviors, limited access to ER strategies, and impulse control difficulties) as mediators of CSA, CPA, and CEA independently with EE. CSA and CEA related to EE via lack of emotional clarity and impulse control difficulties. CPA related to EE via impulse control difficulties. Results indicate ER difficulties that may be beneficial to address in treatment with abuse survivors reporting EE.