The mediating role of emotion regulation in the relationship between eating attitudes and behavioral inhibition system/behavioral activation system

The current study aimed to examine the mediating role of emotion regulation in the relationship between eating attitudes and behavioral inhibition system/behavioral activation system. The sample of the study consists of 389 participants, 230 female (59.1%) and 159 male (40.9%), between the ages of 18-35, studying at universities in Turkey. The research is a quantitative study designed in the relational model in which the mediation of the relationship between the variables is analyzed. Data were collected using the Demographic Information Form, Eating Attitudes Test, Behavioral Inhibition System/Behavioral Activation System Scale and Emotion Regulation Scale. In the study, t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to determine the difference in means between groups, Pearson correlation analysis was used to determine the relationship between variables and Hayes process simple mediation model was used to analyze the mediation models. According to the results of the analysis made with demographic variables, it was determined that people who considered themselves overweight/overweight and who were not at all satisfied with their own body had higher eating attitude total score and eating preoccupation levels compared to other groups. Also, It was found that the use of cognitive reappraisal was higher in participants who were very satisfied with their own bodies. According to the correlation analysis results, it was found that there were significant positive correlations between eating preoccupation, social pressure and behavioral inhibition, negative correlations between restraint and behavioral inhibition, and negative correlations between eating attitude total score, eating preoccupation, social pressure and cognitive reappraisal. Moreover, there were significant negative correlations between behavioral inhibition and cognitive reappraisal and suppression, and significant positive correlations between cognitive reappraisal and sensitivity to reward, fun seeking and impulse. According to the mediation analysis results, it was determined that cognitive reappraisal had a mediating role in the effect of both DIS and DAS on eating attitudes. The results obtained were discussed in the light of the related literature and recommendations were presented. Keywords: Eating Attitude, Behavioral Inhibition System, Behavioral Activation System, Emotion Regulation, Cognitive Reappraisal, Suppression