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. 2021 Mar 23:12:635742.
doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.635742. eCollection 2021.

Meaning in Life Mediates Between Emotional Deregulation and Eating Disorders Psychopathology: A Research From the Meaning-Making Model of Eating Disorders

Jose H Marco  1   2 , Montserrat Cañabate  3   4 , Cristina Martinez  5 , Rosa M Baños  1   2 , Verónica Guillen  1   2 , Sandra Perez  5
Affiliations

Meaning in Life Mediates Between Emotional Deregulation and Eating Disorders Psychopathology: A Research From the Meaning-Making Model of Eating Disorders

Jose H Marco et al. Front Psychol. .

Erratum in

Abstract

Emotional dysregulation, age, gender, and obesity are transdiagnostic risk factors for the development and maintenance of eating disorders (EDs). Previous studies found that patients with ED had less meaning in life than the non-clinical population, and that meaning in life acted as a buffer in the course of ED; however, to the data, there are no studies about the mediator role of meaning in life in association between the emotional dysregulation and the ED psychopathology. Objective: To analyze the mediating role of meaning in life in the relationship between emotional dysregulation and the ED psychopathology in three samples with diverse risk factors for ED. Method: Sample 1, n = 153 undergraduate young women; sample 2, n = 122 participants with obesity; and sample 3, n = 292 participants with ED. Multiple mediation analysis was performed. Results: Sample 1: meaning in life showed a mediation effect between emotional dysregulation and the ED psychopathology (direct effect β = 0.390, p < 0.05) (indirect effect β = 0.227, p < 0.05), body satisfaction (direct effect β = -0.017, p < 0.05) (indirect effect β = -0.013, p < 0.01), and depression symptoms (direct effect β = 1.112, p < 0.001) (indirect effect β = 0.414, p < 0.001); sample 2: meaning in life showed a mediation effect between emotional dysregulation and binge eating and purging behaviors (direct effect β = 0.194, p < 0.01) (indirect effect β = 0.054, p < 0.05) and depression symptoms (direct effect β = 0.357, p < 0.001) (indirect effect β = 0.063, p < 0.05); sample 3: meaning in life showed a mediation effect between emotional dysregulation and the ED psychopathology (direct effect β = 0.884, p < 0.001) (indirect effect β = 0.252, p < 0.007), body satisfaction (direct effect β = -0.033, p < 0.05) (indirect effect β = -0.021, p < 0.001), borderline symptoms (direct effect β = 0.040, p < 0.001) (indirect effect β = 0.025, p < 0.001), and hopelessness (direct effect β = 0.211, p < 0.001) (indirect effect β = 0.087, p < 0.001). Conclusions: These studies suggest the importance of considering meaning in life as a variable in the onset and maintenance of ED.

Keywords: eating disorders; emotional deregulation; meaning in life; meaning-making model; obesity; young women.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The meaning in life is a mediating variable between the emotional deregulation and binge eating disorder psychopathology, and depression in young adult women without eating disorders. DER, emotional deregulation; PIL, purpose in life; BDI, Beck Depression Inventory; BAS, body area satisfaction.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The meaning in life is a mediating variable between the emotional deregulation and binge eating disorder psychopathology, and depression in participants with overweight. DER, emotional deregulation; PIL, purpose in life; BIT, Bulimic Inventory Test Edinburgh; BSI, depression subscale of the Brief Symptoms Inventory.
Figure 3
Figure 3
The meaning in life is a mediating variable between the emotional deregulation and the main symptoms of eating disorders. DER, emotional deregulation; PIL, purpose in life; EAT, eating attitude test; BAS, body area satisfaction; BSL, borderline symptom list; HS, hopelessness scale.
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