The role of emotion regulation in the relationship between mindfulness and risk factors for disordered eating: A longitudinal mediation analysis
The role of emotion regulation in the relationship between mindfulness and risk factors for disordered eating: A longitudinal mediation analysis
Objective
Evidence suggests mindfulness may reduce risk factors for disordered eating. However, mechanisms of change in this relationship are unclear. This longitudinal study tested whether emotion regulation mediates the prospective associations between mindfulness and two proximal risk factors for disordered eating: weight and shape concerns, and negative affect.
Method
This study is a secondary analysis of data collected within an eating disorder prevention trial. Adolescent girls (N = 374, Mage = 15.70, SD = 0.77) completed self-report measures of mindfulness, emotion regulation, weight and shape concerns, and negative affect at baseline, 2 months following baseline, and 7 months following baseline. Path analyses were computed to test hypothesized indirect effects using confidence intervals based on 5000 bootstrap samples.
Results
Higher baseline mindfulness predicted lower weight and shape concerns and negative affect at 7 months via a mediator of better emotion regulation at 2 months. This effect remained while controlling for earlier measurements of the mediator and outcome in the model of negative affect but not weight and shape concerns.
Discussion
Emotion regulation may be an important mechanism explaining how mindfulness influences negative affect. Efforts should be made to intervene on mindfulness and emotion regulation in prevention and early intervention programmes for eating disorders and other psychiatric conditions.
Public Significance
Research has shown that mindfulness can help to reduce some of the risk of developing an eating disorder. This study explored whether mindfulness reduces some of this risk by helping people to better manage their emotions. Understanding this process can help us to develop better mindfulness-based strategies to support people who are at risk of developing an eating disorder.
body image, eating disorders, emotion regulation, longitudinal design, mechanisms, mediation analysis, mindfulness, mindfulness-based intervention, negative affect, weight and shape concerns
Osborne, Emma
778546ca-0509-4975-87f2-50e1692eee53
Ainsworth, Ben
b02d78c3-aa8b-462d-a534-31f1bf164f81
Chadwick, Paul
4476b67c-8555-49a5-b6e5-3f756d13d5bd
Atkinson, Melissa
04f06d58-d3bd-41ee-b511-aa77fb6d0399
Osborne, Emma
778546ca-0509-4975-87f2-50e1692eee53
Ainsworth, Ben
b02d78c3-aa8b-462d-a534-31f1bf164f81
Chadwick, Paul
4476b67c-8555-49a5-b6e5-3f756d13d5bd
Atkinson, Melissa
04f06d58-d3bd-41ee-b511-aa77fb6d0399
Osborne, Emma, Ainsworth, Ben, Chadwick, Paul and Atkinson, Melissa
(2022)
The role of emotion regulation in the relationship between mindfulness and risk factors for disordered eating: A longitudinal mediation analysis.
International Journal of Eating Disorders.
(doi:10.1002/eat.23849).
Abstract
Objective
Evidence suggests mindfulness may reduce risk factors for disordered eating. However, mechanisms of change in this relationship are unclear. This longitudinal study tested whether emotion regulation mediates the prospective associations between mindfulness and two proximal risk factors for disordered eating: weight and shape concerns, and negative affect.
Method
This study is a secondary analysis of data collected within an eating disorder prevention trial. Adolescent girls (N = 374, Mage = 15.70, SD = 0.77) completed self-report measures of mindfulness, emotion regulation, weight and shape concerns, and negative affect at baseline, 2 months following baseline, and 7 months following baseline. Path analyses were computed to test hypothesized indirect effects using confidence intervals based on 5000 bootstrap samples.
Results
Higher baseline mindfulness predicted lower weight and shape concerns and negative affect at 7 months via a mediator of better emotion regulation at 2 months. This effect remained while controlling for earlier measurements of the mediator and outcome in the model of negative affect but not weight and shape concerns.
Discussion
Emotion regulation may be an important mechanism explaining how mindfulness influences negative affect. Efforts should be made to intervene on mindfulness and emotion regulation in prevention and early intervention programmes for eating disorders and other psychiatric conditions.
Public Significance
Research has shown that mindfulness can help to reduce some of the risk of developing an eating disorder. This study explored whether mindfulness reduces some of this risk by helping people to better manage their emotions. Understanding this process can help us to develop better mindfulness-based strategies to support people who are at risk of developing an eating disorder.
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More information
Accepted/In Press date: 28 October 2022
e-pub ahead of print date: 11 November 2022
Additional Information:
Funding Information:
This work was supported by the Economic and Social Research Council South West Doctoral Training Partnership [grant number ES/P000630/1].
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Authors. International Journal of Eating Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Keywords:
body image, eating disorders, emotion regulation, longitudinal design, mechanisms, mediation analysis, mindfulness, mindfulness-based intervention, negative affect, weight and shape concerns
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 472233
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/472233
ISSN: 0276-3478
PURE UUID: a33d7666-8573-49c9-8e34-e9ca6149a1fd
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Date deposited: 29 Nov 2022 17:58
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 03:19
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Contributors
Author:
Emma Osborne
Author:
Ben Ainsworth
Author:
Paul Chadwick
Author:
Melissa Atkinson
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