Emotional regulation and body dissatisfaction: the mediating role of anger in young adult women

Janire Momeñe; Ana Estévez; Marta Herrero; Mark D Griffiths; Leticia Olave; Itziar Iruarrizaga

doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1221513

Emotional regulation and body dissatisfaction: the mediating role of anger in young adult women

Front Psychiatry. 2023 Jul 17:14:1221513. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1221513. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Janire Momeñe¹, Ana Estévez¹, Marta Herrero¹, Mark D Griffiths², Leticia Olave³, Itziar Iruarrizaga⁴

Affiliations

¹ Psychology Department, School of Health Sciences, University of Deusto, Bilbao, Spain.
² International Gaming Research Unit, Psychology Department, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, United Kingdom.
³ Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Internacional de Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
⁴ Department of Experimental Psychology, Cognitive Processes and Speech Therapy, Faculty of Social Work, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.

Abstract

Introduction: Emotion regulation difficulties have an important role in the presence of negative self-image. These problems in the self-regulation of emotion could lead to negative emotional processes (such as anger) that can lead to body dissatisfaction. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine emotion regulation difficulties than can negatively impact self-image and to understand if anger acts as mediator in the relationship between emotion regulation and body dissatisfaction.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out comprising 565 young adult women aged 18-30 years. The participants were administered the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory 2 (STAXI-2), and the Body Dissatisfaction dimension of the Eating Disorder Inventory-2 (EDI-2). The proposed hypotheses were tested by path analysis in MPlus 8.0.

Results: The results indicated that anger had a positive significant effect on body dissatisfaction as well as the non-acceptance of emotional responses, the lack of emotional awareness, and the lack of emotional clarity. Of all the dimensions of emotional regulation difficulties, impulse control difficulty was the dimension which had a positive significant indirect effect on body dissatisfaction explained by increased anger.

Discussion: The present study suggests the importance of emotion regulation in the prevention of body dissatisfaction. Impulse control difficulty may be the key emotion regulation emotion in explaining the increments of anger that lead to body dissatisfaction. Among young adults, the promotion of positive body image can be promoted by helping this population to self-regulate their anger impulses.

Keywords: anger; body dissatisfaction; emotion regulation; inhibition of emotional impulses; path analysis; young adult women.

Grants and funding

The present study was funded by a research grant for the project “Psychological factors mediating the relationship between insecure attachment, behavioral addictions, and staying in violent relationships” (POS_2022_2_0034), awarded by the Basque Government.