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An exploratory component analysis of emotion regulation strategies for improving emotion regulation and emotional eating
Journal article   Peer reviewed

An exploratory component analysis of emotion regulation strategies for improving emotion regulation and emotional eating

Adrienne S. Juarascio, Megan N. Parker, Stephanie M. Manasse, Jennifer L. Barney, Emily P. Wyckoff and Cara Dochat
Appetite, v 150, 104634
01 Jul 2020
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2020.104634
PMID: 32087282
Featured in Collection :   UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel

Abstract

Component analysis Emotion regulation Emotional eating
Emotion-focused treatments are generally efficacious for improving emotion regulation and consequently, improving clinical symptoms across numerous disorders. However, emotion-focused treatment approaches often contain numerous treatment components, limiting our ability to identify which are most efficacious. As such, the current pilot study sought to isolate three components common across a range of emotion-focused treatments (i.e. emotional awareness, emotion down-regulation, and distress tolerance) and test the impact of each component on (1) emotion regulation and (2) emotional eating behavior. Adults (N = 76) who reported four or more emotional eating episodes in the past month were assigned to attend a one-time, three-hour workshop focused on either awareness, down-regulation or tolerance of emotions, and were subsequently evaluated at one-week and two-weeks follow-up. All groups experienced equivalent improvements in emotional eating at two-weeks follow-up (F [1.47, 85.38 ] = 7.60, p < .01). However, groups showed differential patterns of change across facets of emotion regulation. Improvements in access to healthy emotion regulation strategies was moderately related to improvements in emotional eating in Down-Regulation and Distress Tolerance groups (r [18] = 0.40, r [20] = 0.63, respectively). In the Distress Tolerance group, improvements in emotional eating were moderately related to improvements in acceptance of emotions (r[20] = 0.33) and ability to refrain from impulses (r[20] = 0.41). In the Emotional Awareness group, improvements in emotional acceptance (r[20] = 0.30), awareness (r[20] = 0.38) and clarity (r[20] = 0.39) were moderately related to improvements in emotional eating. While several components of emotion-focused treatments may improve outcomes, each component may demonstrate a unique mechanism of action. Further study is needed to isolate these treatment components in fully powered clinical trials to better understand the mechanisms of action for emotion-focused treatments and ultimately develop more efficient and effective treatment approaches.

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14 Record Views
23 citations in Web of Science
22 citations in Scopus

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UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This publication has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

#3 Good Health and Well-Being
#5 Gender Equality

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Behavioral Sciences
Nutrition & Dietetics
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