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Published on: June 5, 2016
Effects of negative mood induction and impulsivity on self-perceived emotional eating
Marrie H J Bekker1, Carola van de Meerendonk, Jessica Mollerus
1Department of Clinical Psychology, Gender and Health, Tilburg University, Room P501, P.O. Box 90153, 5000 LE Tilburg, The Netherlands. m.h.j.bekker@uvt.nl
Objective:
The current study investigates the influence of negative mood induction and impulsivity on self-perceptions with respect to emotional eating. Negative affect as well as high impulsivity was expected to increase levels of self-perceived emotional eating.
Method:
College students who were high versus low in impulsivity were assigned randomly to either a negative (failure on a quiz) or a neutral mood induction. Their levels of self-perceived emotional eating were measured after and before mood induction.
Results:
Negative affect appeared to enhance the level of self-perceived emotional eating significantly (p < .01). There was no statistically significant effect of impulsivity. The interaction effect of affect and impulsivity approached significance (p = .08), indicating that highly impulsive subjects compared with subjects low in impulsivity were more strongly influenced by negative affect in self-perceived emotional eating.
Discussion:
Negative affect substantially influences self-perceptions in terms of emotional eating, which is relevant for both prevention and treatment.
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