Abstract:Background: While negative affect (NA) typically increases risk for binge eating, the ultimate impact of NA may depend on a person's ability to regulate their emotions. In this daily, longitudinal study, we examined whether emotion regulation (ER) modified the strength of NA-dysregulated eating associations.Methods: Women (N = 311) from the Michigan State University Twin Registry first reported dimensional binge eating symptoms and broad ER difficulties (e.g., limited emotional awareness, difficulty controllin… Show more
“…Contrary to previous EMA findings on general negative affect and binge eating in men (Kukk & Akkermann, 2020), but in line with more recent findings from a daily diary study on daily negative affect and facets of disinhibited eating in women (Mikhail, Fowler, Burt et al ., 2022), the present study did not reveal any interactions between tension and trait emotion regulation skills in predicting DEBs. Importantly, the present study assessed levels of adaptive emotion regulation capabilities rather than maladaptive emotion regulation strategies.…”
Section: Discussioncontrasting
confidence: 75%
“…While Kukk and Akkerman (2020) indeed found a mediating effect of difficulties in emotion regulation between negative affect and binge eating, Mikhail, Fowler, Burt et al . (2022) found no moderating effects of either adaptive or maladaptive emotion regulation strategies. Future studies should examine potential reasons for such inconsistent findings, such as differential effects dependent on sex and age.…”
Section: Discussionmentioning
confidence: 98%
“…In addition, state access to adaptive emotion regulation strategies in everyday life, which again may depend on various situational aspects, such as the availability of social support or current location, could be more crucial in modulating effects of tension on DEBs than trait emotion regulation skills. Although difficulties in state emotion regulation have been previously associated with engagement in disinhibited and restrictive DEBs (Mikhail, Fowler, Burt et al ., 2022; Mikhail & Kring, 2019; Parker, Michael, Murray, Juarascio & Manasse, 2021), a study on adults with binge eating disorder did not find moderation effects between negative affect and state (mal)adaptive emotion regulation on subsequent binge eating (Svaldi, Werle, Naumann, Eichler & Berking, 2019). However, further research regarding potential moderating effects of momentary tension reduction skills as well as general state emotion regulation skills in the context of restrictive DEBs may be beneficial.…”
Section: Discussionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Importantly, the present study assessed levels of adaptive emotion regulation capabilities rather than maladaptive emotion regulation strategies. While some previous findings suggest an association between better adaptive emotion regulation and lower levels of DEBs (McLean, Paxton & Wertheim, 2010; Mikhail & Kring, 2019), other work suggests that more dysfunctional emotion regulation strategies (such as avoidance or suppression) may be of particular relevance in the context of eating pathology (Aldao, Nolen‐Hoeksema & Schweizer, 2010; Mikhail, Fowler, Burt et al ., 2022). While Kukk and Akkerman (2020) indeed found a mediating effect of difficulties in emotion regulation between negative affect and binge eating, Mikhail, Fowler, Burt et al .…”
Section: Discussionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Previous studies have rarely addressed potential interaction effects between general negative affect and emotion regulation skills on DEBs, and related findings have been inconsistent. One study reported that trait emotion regulation difficulties may explain the relationship between average negative affect and binge eating in adult men (Kukk & Akkermann, 2020), while a different study found no significant moderating effect of trait emotion regulation difficulties in the context of negative affect and facets of disinhibited eating in women (Mikhail, Fowler, Burt et al ., 2022).…”
Experiences of tension and difficulties in emotion regulation have been linked to eating pathology in clinical samples and are targeted in respective treatment approaches. The present study aimed to investigate the impact of tension on engagement in disordered eating behaviors (DEBs) and potential moderating effects of trait emotion regulation in young people from the general population. A subsample of 971 adolescents and young adults from an epidemiological cohort study reported on levels of tension and four different DEBs (skipping eating, restrained eating, eating large amounts of food, loss‐of‐control‐eating) via ecological momentary assessment (EMA), as well as on trait emotion regulation via questionnaire. In multilevel models, momentary tension did not predict levels of subsequent DEBs. However, higher average levels of tension across the EMA period predicted higher levels of all DEBs. No interactions with emotion regulation emerged. Individuals experiencing overall higher levels of tension appear to be more prone to engaging in DEBs.
“…Contrary to previous EMA findings on general negative affect and binge eating in men (Kukk & Akkermann, 2020), but in line with more recent findings from a daily diary study on daily negative affect and facets of disinhibited eating in women (Mikhail, Fowler, Burt et al ., 2022), the present study did not reveal any interactions between tension and trait emotion regulation skills in predicting DEBs. Importantly, the present study assessed levels of adaptive emotion regulation capabilities rather than maladaptive emotion regulation strategies.…”
Section: Discussioncontrasting
confidence: 75%
“…While Kukk and Akkerman (2020) indeed found a mediating effect of difficulties in emotion regulation between negative affect and binge eating, Mikhail, Fowler, Burt et al . (2022) found no moderating effects of either adaptive or maladaptive emotion regulation strategies. Future studies should examine potential reasons for such inconsistent findings, such as differential effects dependent on sex and age.…”
Section: Discussionmentioning
confidence: 98%
“…In addition, state access to adaptive emotion regulation strategies in everyday life, which again may depend on various situational aspects, such as the availability of social support or current location, could be more crucial in modulating effects of tension on DEBs than trait emotion regulation skills. Although difficulties in state emotion regulation have been previously associated with engagement in disinhibited and restrictive DEBs (Mikhail, Fowler, Burt et al ., 2022; Mikhail & Kring, 2019; Parker, Michael, Murray, Juarascio & Manasse, 2021), a study on adults with binge eating disorder did not find moderation effects between negative affect and state (mal)adaptive emotion regulation on subsequent binge eating (Svaldi, Werle, Naumann, Eichler & Berking, 2019). However, further research regarding potential moderating effects of momentary tension reduction skills as well as general state emotion regulation skills in the context of restrictive DEBs may be beneficial.…”
Section: Discussionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Importantly, the present study assessed levels of adaptive emotion regulation capabilities rather than maladaptive emotion regulation strategies. While some previous findings suggest an association between better adaptive emotion regulation and lower levels of DEBs (McLean, Paxton & Wertheim, 2010; Mikhail & Kring, 2019), other work suggests that more dysfunctional emotion regulation strategies (such as avoidance or suppression) may be of particular relevance in the context of eating pathology (Aldao, Nolen‐Hoeksema & Schweizer, 2010; Mikhail, Fowler, Burt et al ., 2022). While Kukk and Akkerman (2020) indeed found a mediating effect of difficulties in emotion regulation between negative affect and binge eating, Mikhail, Fowler, Burt et al .…”
Section: Discussionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Previous studies have rarely addressed potential interaction effects between general negative affect and emotion regulation skills on DEBs, and related findings have been inconsistent. One study reported that trait emotion regulation difficulties may explain the relationship between average negative affect and binge eating in adult men (Kukk & Akkermann, 2020), while a different study found no significant moderating effect of trait emotion regulation difficulties in the context of negative affect and facets of disinhibited eating in women (Mikhail, Fowler, Burt et al ., 2022).…”
Experiences of tension and difficulties in emotion regulation have been linked to eating pathology in clinical samples and are targeted in respective treatment approaches. The present study aimed to investigate the impact of tension on engagement in disordered eating behaviors (DEBs) and potential moderating effects of trait emotion regulation in young people from the general population. A subsample of 971 adolescents and young adults from an epidemiological cohort study reported on levels of tension and four different DEBs (skipping eating, restrained eating, eating large amounts of food, loss‐of‐control‐eating) via ecological momentary assessment (EMA), as well as on trait emotion regulation via questionnaire. In multilevel models, momentary tension did not predict levels of subsequent DEBs. However, higher average levels of tension across the EMA period predicted higher levels of all DEBs. No interactions with emotion regulation emerged. Individuals experiencing overall higher levels of tension appear to be more prone to engaging in DEBs.
BackgroundTrait‐level emotion regulation (ER) difficulties are associated with eating disorders (EDs) transdiagnostically. However, little research has examined whether within‐person fluctuations in ER longitudinally predict ED behaviors in daily life or the mechanisms of ER effects. Investigating daily ER could help us better understand why people experience ED behaviors at a given time. We examined whether day‐to‐day changes in adaptive (e.g., cognitive reappraisal) and maladaptive (e.g., rumination) ER longitudinally predicted core ED behaviors (binge eating, purging, dieting) and whether changes in affect mediated effects.MethodFemale participants (N = 688) ages 15–30 from the Michigan State University Twin Registry reported their adaptive and maladaptive ER use, negative affect (NA), positive affect (PA), binge eating, purging, and dieting on 49 consecutive days. Using structural equation modeling, we examined whether within‐person fluctuations in ER predicted same‐ and next‐day ED behaviors and whether changes in affect mediated longitudinal ER effects.ResultsGreater maladaptive ER predicted increased likelihood of same‐day binge eating and next‐day binge eating and purging. The association between maladaptive ER and next‐day binge eating and purging was mediated by increased next‐day NA. In contrast, dieting was more closely related to changes in PA. Adaptive ER did not predict reduced likelihood of any ED behavior.ConclusionsMaladaptive ER may longitudinally increase risk for binge eating and purging by amplifying NA. Interventions focused on decreasing maladaptive ER and subsequent NA might help disrupt binge eating‐purging cycles. Conversely, results add to evidence that PA fluctuations may play a unique role in maintaining restrictive behaviors.Public SignificanceLittle is known about how daily changes in emotion regulation may impact disordered eating. We found that maladaptive emotion regulation (e.g., rumination) was associated with a higher likelihood of binge eating and purging on the next day because it predicted increased next‐day negative affect. In contrast, dieting was more closely tied to fluctuations in positive affect. Targeting daily emotion regulation and affective processes may help disrupt cycles of disordered eating.
Purpose
Previous studies linking experiential avoidance (EA) and eating pathology have largely relied on single measurements based on traditional retrospective questionnaires. Taking advantage of available repeated assessments of EA and disordered eating behaviors (DEBs) in the everyday lives of young people from an epidemiological cohort, we aimed to investigate ecologically valid temporal associations between these constructs.
Methods
A random population sample of N = 1180 14–21-year-olds from Dresden, Germany, participated at baseline (2015/2016). As part of smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment (EMA), participants reported on engagement in EA and four DEBs (skipping eating, eating large amounts of food, loss-of-control eating, and restrained eating) up to eight times per day for four days. Multilevel modeling of concurrent and time-lagged associations between EA and DEBs, was conducted among those with at least 50% EMA-compliance (n = 1069).
Results
EA was associated with higher concurrent levels of all four types of concurrent DEBs. In addition, EA significantly predicted subsequent levels of restrained eating. Only loss-of-control eating significantly predicted subsequent EA, and this effect depended on the timespan between consecutive assessments. When this timespan was short, higher Loss-of-control eating predicted lower subsequent EA, while it predicted higher subsequent EA when the timespan was longer.
Conclusion
The present findings suggest that EA is temporally closely linked to greater engagement in DEBs, supporting theoretical assumptions that DEBs may serve an attempted avoidance function in the context of unpleasant inner experiences. Future studies may benefit from examining samples with more pronounced eating pathology.
Level of evidence
Level IV: Evidence obtained from multiple time series with or without the intervention, such as case studies.
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