Abstract
The objective of this study was to determine the predictive role of psychological risk factors for restrained and compulsive eating in young women and men. We examined the relationship between resilience, impulsivity, emotional intelligence and self-esteem, and restrained and compulsive eating. It was assumed that resilience and impulsivity can directly explain unhealthy eating attitudes (restrained and compulsive: both emotional eating and external eating). The study group comprised 211 individuals (105 men and 106 women) aged 20–29, all of whom were living in southern Poland. Measures included the Resilience Measurement Scale (SPP-25), the Eysenck’s Impulsivity Inventory (IVE), the Multidimensional Self-Esteem Inventory (MSEI), the Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (INTE), and the Polish adaptation of the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DEBQ). The statistical analysis showed significant and positive correlations between emotional eating and general self-esteem, impulsivity, and weaker (but still significant) correlations with physical attractiveness. External eating was positively and significantly correlated with impulsivity and self-esteem (including physical attractiveness). Restrained eating was also positively and significantly correlated with general self-esteem. Both types of compulsive eating attitudes (emotional and external eating) were significantly and negatively correlated with resilience. Women showed a significantly higher positive correlation between impulsivity and external eating compared to men. The level of intensity of other measures proved similar across the entire study group regardless of sex. Impulsivity had the strongest and most direct significant influence on both emotional eating and external eating, and a negative effect on emotional intelligence. Resilience proved to have a significant impact on all three examined types of eating attitude (a direct negative effect on emotional eating and external eating, and positive direct effect on restrained eating), self-esteem, and emotional intelligence. An important psychological intervening variable in generating unhealthy eating attitudes proved to be self-esteem among both men and women. Emotional intelligence, which remains correlated with resilience, proved independent, with no effect on unhealthy eating attitudes. These results suggest that preventive treatment and educational programs implemented particularly among adolescents and young adults may support development of their psychological resources.
Highlights
Contemporary clinical psychology and psychiatry seek knowledge about the risk factors that support growth of unhealthy eating attitudes in young adults
Impulsivity and emotional intelligence fell within the range of average results
These results suggest that participants manifested high levels of mental resilience average emotional literacy and impulsivity, and below average general and body self-esteem
Summary
Contemporary clinical psychology and psychiatry seek knowledge about the risk factors that support growth of unhealthy eating attitudes in young adults. Previous literature shows that such unhealthy attitudes often result in deteriorated body and health, with the most common being restrained eating (excessively limited food intake inadequate to maintain good health) and compulsive excessive eating that detracts from good health (Polivy and Herman, 2005; Izydorczyk and SitnikWarchulska, 2018). Previous literature investigates the psycho-social conditions of compulsive and restrained eating attitudes. These studies usually measure selected potential predictors rather than the full range of conditions that lead to restrained or compulsive eating. Massaldjieva et al (2017) reported that young women declare more disordered eating behavior and risky attitudes compared with young men.
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