Emotion and eating psychopathology: links with attitudes toward emotional expression among young women

The aim of this study was to determine links between attitudes toward emotional expression and levels of eating psychopathology among young women.

Eighty-nine young female volunteers completed the Attitudes Toward Emotional Expression scale (AEE) and the Eating Disorders Examination Questionnaire (EDEQ).

There were positive significant associations between AEE subscales and EDEQ scores. In particular, those women who scored high on the EDEQ eating, shape, and weight subscales believe that to display emotion is a sign of weakness. Although those participants with high EDEQ weight concern scores were also likely to believe that they should keep their emotions under control and that others might be rejecting or damaged should they themselves display their emotions.

These findings require replication with a clinical sample, however, they suggest that challenging these attitudes is potentially a useful step in facilitating acceptance of emotion and the development of adaptive emotion regulation strategies in those women with high levels of eating psychopathology.