Abstract
Emotional dysregulation, age, gender, and obesity are transdiagnostic risk factors for the development and maintenance of eating disorders (EDs). Previous studies found that patients with ED had less meaning in life than the non-clinical population, and that meaning in life acted as a buffer in the course of ED; however, to the data, there are no studies about the mediator role of meaning in life in association between the emotional dysregulation and the ED psychopathology.Objective: To analyze the mediating role of meaning in life in the relationship between emotional dysregulation and the ED psychopathology in three samples with diverse risk factors for ED.Method: Sample 1, n = 153 undergraduate young women; sample 2, n = 122 participants with obesity; and sample 3, n = 292 participants with ED. Multiple mediation analysis was performed.Results: Sample 1: meaning in life showed a mediation effect between emotional dysregulation and the ED psychopathology (direct effect β = 0.390, p < 0.05) (indirect effect β = 0.227, p < 0.05), body satisfaction (direct effect β = −0.017, p < 0.05) (indirect effect β = −0.013, p < 0.01), and depression symptoms (direct effect β = 1.112, p < 0.001) (indirect effect β = 0.414, p < 0.001); sample 2: meaning in life showed a mediation effect between emotional dysregulation and binge eating and purging behaviors (direct effect β = 0.194, p < 0.01) (indirect effect β = 0.054, p < 0.05) and depression symptoms (direct effect β = 0.357, p < 0.001) (indirect effect β = 0.063, p < 0.05); sample 3: meaning in life showed a mediation effect between emotional dysregulation and the ED psychopathology (direct effect β = 0.884, p < 0.001) (indirect effect β = 0.252, p < 0.007), body satisfaction (direct effect β = −0.033, p < 0.05) (indirect effect β = −0.021, p < 0.001), borderline symptoms (direct effect β = 0.040, p < 0.001) (indirect effect β = 0.025, p < 0.001), and hopelessness (direct effect β = 0.211, p < 0.001) (indirect effect β = 0.087, p < 0.001).Conclusions: These studies suggest the importance of considering meaning in life as a variable in the onset and maintenance of ED.
Highlights
The Meaning-Making Model in Eating Disorders (MMMED) states that people with high vulnerability to eating disorders (EDs) when they face a situation that has led them to have low or no meaning in life, generally produced by an event that violates their global scheme of values, ideals, and goals
We hypothesize: (a) meaning in life could be a mediator in the association between emotional dysregulation and body dissatisfaction, depression, and ED psychopathology in women under 25 years old; (b) meaning in life could be a mediator in the association between emotional dysregulation and depression, bulimia nervosa (BN), and binge eating disorder (BED) psychopathology in participants with obesity; and (c) meaning in life could be a mediator in the association between emotional dysregulation and body dissatisfaction, ED psychopathology, borderline personality symptoms, and hopelessness in participants with ED
The three samples recruited were selected by the same research team and belong to the same line of research entitled: Is meaning in life an important variable in the psychopathology of ED? To answer this general question, three samples were selected: sample 1 consisted of participants without a diagnosis of ED or obesity, and it was obtained in January 2017
Summary
To analyze the mediating role of meaning in life in the relationship between emotional dysregulation and the ED psychopathology in three samples with diverse risk factors for ED. Method: Sample 1, n = 153 undergraduate young women; sample 2, n = 122 participants with obesity; and sample 3, n = 292 participants with ED. Multiple mediation analysis was performed.
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