The predictive role of eating attitudes, perceived parental rejection, difficulty in emotion regulation and body-mass index on the symptoms of depression in emerging adulthood

In this study, the relationships between body mass index, perceived parental rejection, difficulty in emotion regulation, risky eating attitudes and symptoms of depression were investigated in emerging adulthood during the Covid-19 pandemic. The sample of the study included 371 emerging adults (144 Males, 227 females) aged between 18 and 25 (M= 20.93, SS= 2.10). The measures of data collection were Parental Acceptance Rejection Scale Short Form (PARQ / C), Difficulties in Emotion Regulation (DERS), Eating Attitude Test Short Form (EAT-26) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Two independent hierarchical multiple regression model was tested to examine the predictors of depressive symptoms and risky eating attitudes. As the results, it is found that perceived maternal rejection and difficulty in emotion regulation were significant predictors of depressive symptoms, and body mass index, gender, and difficulty in emotion regulation were significant predictors of risky eating attitudes. Additionnaly, a simple mediation model was tested and difficulty in emotion regulation was found to mediate the relationship between risky eating attitudes and depressive symptoms. The findings of the study were discussed in line with the literature and clinical implications are evaluated.