Cited by 94Eating Disorders and BehaviorsNutrition, Health and Food BehaviorAnxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes

Negative emotions and emotional eating: the mediating role of experiential avoidance

Litwin, Rachel, Goldbacher, Edie M., Cardaciotto, LeeAnn, Gambrel, Laura Eubanks·2017·Eating and Weight Disorders - Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity

Abstract

Purpose Emotional eating is a risk factor for eating pathology across the life- and weight-span. Research demonstrates that negative emotions are a precipitant of emotional eating, particularly among female college students. However, the underlying factors that explain this relationship are unclear. Experiential avoidance, a propensity toward being unwilling to remain in contact with aversive private experiences, may explain the association between negative emotions and emotional eating. The purpose of this study was to examine whether experiential avoidance would mediate the association between negative emotions and emotional eating.Methods A sample of 132 women (17.4 % African American, 59.8 % White) completed measures of mood, experiential avoidance and emotional eating. Bias-corrected bootstrapping mediational analyses were conducted.Results Experiential avoidance mediated the relationship between negative emotions and emotional eating b = -0.21, 95 % BC CI [-0.43, -0.07]. The indirect effect through experiential avoidance accounted for 9 % of the variance, which represents a medium effect (k 2 = 0.09, 95 % BC CI [0.03, 0.18]).Conclusions Results suggest that experiential avoidance is important for understanding the relationship between negative emotions and emotional eating and may inform potential strategies for prevention and treatment.

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Crossref · 10.1007/s40519-016-0301-9

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Authors
Litwin, R., Goldbacher, E. M., Cardaciotto, L., & Gambrel, L. E.
Affiliations
  • La Salle University (US)
  • Appalachian State University (US)
Corresponding author
Goldbacher, Edie M.
Venue
Eating and Weight Disorders - Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity
Published
2016-07-26
Volume
22
Issue
1
Pages
97-104
ISSN
  • 1124-4909 (ISSN-L)
  • 1590-1262
OpenAlex
W2496154857
Cited by
94
References
62
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 1
FWCI
6.26
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Eating and Weight Disorders - Studies on Anorexia Bulimia and Obesity (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Eating Disorders and Behaviors
  • Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Nutrition, Health and Food Behavior
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
Keywords
emotional eating, negative emotions, experiential avoidance, mediation, women, university students, eating pathology, mood
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Affect, Avoidance Learning, Cross-Sectional Studies, Eating, Emotions, Female, Humans, Young Adult

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