"Bridging Uncertainty and Eating Pathology in People Recovered from an Eating Disorder: the Mediating role of Emotion Suppression.

Abstract

This study explored the role of emotion regulation(ER) strategies and Intolerance of Uncertainty (the excessive negative response to uncertainty; IU) in individuals who recovered from Eating Disorders (EDs). Specifically, it investigates the mediating roles of cognitive reappraisal (CR) and emotion suppression (ES) in the relationship between IU and eating pathology. Twenty individuals who have recovered from an ED and twenty-one healthy controls completed the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) and IU Scale (IUS-12) and the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q). MANOVA and mediation analyses were performed. Results indicated that IU levels in recovered individuals were comparable to healthy controls. No significant differences were found in ER strategies between the two groups. Indirect effects of IU on eating pathology through ES were significant in the recovered group, suggesting that IU may influence eating pathology via maladaptive ER strategies like ES. These findings highlight the potential importance of addressing IU and fostering adaptive ER strategies in ED recovery and relapse prevention. This study's strengths lie in examining the roles of IU and ER strategies in the ED-recovered population, using validated measures to enrich the current literature. However, its limitations constitute the reliance on self-report measures, which are prone to bias, a small sample size, and the lack of distinction between ED types, which might have affected the generalizability and specificity of the findings. Further research should recruit an-expanded sample in diversity and size, utilizing mixed-methods and longitudinal approaches to reduce self-report bias and differentiating between ED types to-deepen understanding of IU and ER strategies in the recovered ED population.