Exploring Stress and Body Image Dissatisfaction as Predictors of Disordered Eating: The Mediating Impact of Emotion Regulation in a Non-Clinical Sample

Fahim, Hafsa (2025) Exploring Stress and Body Image Dissatisfaction as Predictors of Disordered Eating: The Mediating Impact of Emotion Regulation in a Non-Clinical Sample. Undergraduate thesis, Dublin, National College of Ireland.

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Abstract

Aims: The current study examined whether stress, emotion regulation and body image dissatisfaction predict scores on a subjective measure of disordered eating. The study also aimed to investigate whether stress and emotion regulation predict scores on a measure of body image dissatisfaction. Finally, the current study aimed to investigate if stress or body image dissatisfaction emerge as predictors of disordered eating; does emotion regulation mediate this relationship.

Methods: Quantitative methodology was used for the current study. Participants (n = 86) had to fill out an online questionnaire that included some demographic questions followed by the EAT-26 scale, PSS-10 scale, DERS- 16 scale, and the AAI-10 scale.

Results: Results indicated that body image dissatisfaction was the strongest predictor of disordered eating. Stress was also a significant predictor of disordered eating, but its effect size was smaller, and emotion regulation failed to reach significance. Emotion regulation significantly predicted body image dissatisfaction, interestingly stress was not a significant predictor of body image dissatisfaction. The mediation analysis revealed that emotion regulation did not mediate the relationship between body image dissatisfaction and disordered eating.

Conclusion: These findings have important implications. Future research should use longitudinal designs to better understand causality and examine more specific aspects of emotion regulation that may be more relevant to disordered eating.

Item Type:	Thesis (Undergraduate)
Supervisors:	Name Email Kelly, Michelle UNSPECIFIED
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > Psychology B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > Psychology > Body image R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine > Personal Health and Hygiene B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > Psychology > Stress (Psychology)
Divisions:	School of Business (- 2025) > BA (Honours) in Psychology
Depositing User:	Ciara O'Brien
Date Deposited:	07 Nov 2025 15:23
Last Modified:	07 Nov 2025 15:23
URI:	https://norma.ncirl.ie/id/eprint/8891

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