Temperament and emotional eating: A crucial relationship in eating disorders. Issue 3 (28th February 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rotella, Francesco; Fioravanti, Giulia; Godini, Lucia; Mannucci, Edoardo; Faravelli, Carlo; Ricca, Valdo
• Is Part Of: Psychiatry research. Volume 225:Issue 3(2015)
• Page Start: 452
• Page End: 457
• Publication Date: 2015-02-28
• Subjects: Temperament -- Emotional eating -- Binge eating -- Eating disorder -- Psychopathology; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Psychiatry -- periodicals; Psychiatrie -- Périodiques; 616.89
• DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2014.11.068
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0165-1781

Abstract

Abstract: Specific personality traits are related to Eating Disorders (EDs) specific and general psychopathology. Recent studies suggested that Emotional Eating (EE) is a common dimension in all EDs, irrespective of binge eating. The present study was aimed to explore the relationship of temperamental features with EE and eating symptomatology in a sample of EDs patients, adjusting for general psychopathology. One hundred and sixty six female patients were enrolled at the Eating Disorders Outpatient Clinic of the Careggi Teaching-Hospital of Florence. Participants completed the emotional eating scale, the temperament and character inventory, the eating disorder examination questionnaire and the symptom checklist 90-revised. Novelty seeking and self directedness showed significant correlations with EE after adjustment for general psychopathology. Patients with binge eating displayed significant associations between EE and novelty seeking and self directedness. Among patients without binge eating, no significant correlation between EE and temperamental features was observed. Specific temperamental features are associated to EE in EDs. A clear, different pattern of association in patients with different eating attitudes and behavior was found. Considering that treatments of EDs are largely based on psychotherapeutic interventions, focused on emotions and cognitions, the present data provide some hints which could be helpful for the development of more appropriate psychotherapeutic strategies. Highlights: Novelty seeking and self directedness were significantly related to emotional eating. Patients without binge eating did not show any significant correlation. A different pattern of association in patients with different eating attitudes was found. These data could be helpful for psychotherapeutic strategies in eating disorders.