The association between children's motivation type and emotional overeating

Emotional overeating (EoE) is recognized as a significant risk factor for general health due to excessive energy intake. Previous studies have explored various factors contributing to EoE, few of which have specifically focused on influences of motivational factors. This study aimed to explore the association between motivation types and EoE behavior, and the moderating role of personality traits, age, gender, and weight status in children. This cross-sectional study included 242 children aged 10-18 years (median: 13.00, interquartile range (IQR): 12.00 to 14.50 years) with 108 girls (44.63%). We assessed motivation types (autonomous regulation, external regulation, and introjected regulations) using the Treatment Self-Regulation Questionnaire-15 item (TSRQ-15) and computed the Relative Autonomy Index (RAI, where a higher score indicates a greater degree of autonomy) by combining the scores for different types of motivation. Multiple linear regression models were employed to analyze the relationships between children's motivation types and their EoE behavior with adjustments for age and gender. To explore moderation effects, we conducted moderation analyses by including interaction terms (personality traits scores/gender/age group/weight status × motivation types) in the regression models. Regression analyses indicated that the EoE behavior scores increased by 0.126 (95% CI: 0.0003 to 0.251) and 0.373 (95% CI: 0.254 to 0.492) unit per 1-unit increase in introjected and external regulation scores, respectively, and decreased by 0.291 (95% CI: - 0.414 to - 0.168) and 0.257 (95% CI: - 0.381 to - 0.133) unit per 1-unit increase in the two RAIs calculated using different formulas, respectively, after adjusting for their age and gender. The positive association between introjected regulation and EoE behavior was more pronounced in children with higher neuroticism than in those with lower ones (P_interaction < 0.05). The negative association between RAIs and EoE behavior was more pronounced in children with higher conscientiousness or openness than in those with lower ones (P_interaction < 0.05). No moderating effects of age, gender, or weight status were observed in the relationships between children's motivation types and their EoE behavior.

A higher level of introjected or external regulation was associated with a higher level of EoE behavior, particularly among children with high neuroticism. Conversely, a higher level of autonomy was associated with a lower level of EoE behavior, with this relationship being stronger in children with high conscientiousness or openness compared to those with lower ones. Our findings suggested that enhancing autonomy motivation and reducing introjected or external regulation may be beneficial in reducing the incidence of EoE behavior and highlighted the importance of taking children's personality traits into account during interventions to improve their effectiveness.

• Previous studies have suggested that a variety of psychological factors might influence EoE behavior; however, few of them have explored the associations between motivation types and EoE behavior and the moderating role of personality traits.

• This study suggested that external and introjected regulations were associated with an increased risk of EoE behavior, whereas a greater degree of autonomous regulation was associated with a decreased risk of EoE behavior. These associations were stronger in children with the personality traits of higher neuroticism, conscientiousness, or openness.