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Emotion regulation and binge eating in children
Author(s) -
Czaja Julia,
Rief Winfried,
Hilbert Anja
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
international journal of eating disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.785
H-Index - 138
eISSN - 1098-108X
pISSN - 0276-3478
DOI - 10.1002/eat.20630
Subject(s) - psychology , binge eating , dysfunctional family , eating disorders , anxiety , clinical psychology , psychological intervention , binge eating disorder , maladaptive coping , coping (psychology) , developmental psychology , emotional eating , association (psychology) , psychiatry , eating behavior , obesity , psychotherapist , bulimia nervosa , medicine
Objective: To examine the ability to regulate emotions in children with binge eating. Method: A community sample of 60 children ages 8–13 with at least one episode of loss of control (LOC) eating during the past 3 months and a matched control group without LOC ( n = 60) underwent a clinical interview ( Eating Disorder Examination adapted for Children ) and completed self‐report questionnaires assessing emotion regulation strategies, eating pathology, and depressive symptoms. Results: Children with LOC eating made a significantly higher use of dysfunctional emotion regulation strategies ( p < .01), especially for the regulation of anxiety ( p < .01). Maladaptive strategies were associated with greater depressiveness ( p < .001). Use of adaptive emotion regulation strategies did not differ between children with and without LOC eating. Discussion: Results document an association between LOC eating and difficulties in regulating negative emotions in children. Interventions targeting LOC eating in children should include training for coping with negative emotions. © 2008 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 2009