Abstract

Background and Objectives: Emotion regulation difficulties predicts disordered eating, but how emotion regulation difficulties lead to disordered eating remains an unanswered question. In this research, the role of alexithymia and emotion regulation difficulties was investigated in the prediction of disordered eating behaviors among students.

Methods: This descriptive study was performed on 264 students of Allameh Tabataba’i University, who were selected by multiple cluster sampling. Data were collected using Toronto Alexithymia Scale, Eating Attitudes Test, and Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. Analysis of data was performed using Pearson correlation coefficient and stepwise regression. The significance level was considered to be p<0.01.

Results: Results showed that there was a significant correlation among emotion regulation difficulties, alexithymia, and disordered eating behaviors (p<0.01). The results of stepwise regression analysis indicated that alexithymia and emotion regulation difficulties significantly predicted disoredered eating behaviors (p<0.01) and emotion regulation difficulties has a mediator role in the relationship between alexithymia and disordered eating behaviors (p<0.01).

Conclusion: The results of this study is indicative of the importance of emotion regulation difficulties and alexithymia in the prediction of disordered eating behaviors, and these factors can explain the high rate of disordered eating behaviors variance.