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The link between external and internal shame and binge eating: the mediating role of body image-related shame and cognitive fusion

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Eating and Weight Disorders - Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Despite the growing interest in binge eating, research on this public health problem in male samples is limited. Indeed, the examination of underlying emotional mechanisms and potential gender differences in binge eating are still needed. This study explored differences between men and women in binge eating severity and related emotional mechanisms. Also, this study explored the impact of external and internal shame on binge eating severity, when mediated by body image-related shame and cognitive fusion, in men and women.

Methods

The sample consists of 787 participants from the general population (144 men and 643 women), aged from 18 to 40 years.

Results

Women presented higher levels of binge eating symptomatology and also of body image-related difficulties, than men. Path analysis results showed that external and internal shame had a significant impact on binge eating severity, and that these relationships were mediated by body image-related shame and cognitive fusion. Multi-group analysis revealed the invariance of this model in both sexes.

Conclusion

Although men and women revealed significant differences in the severity of binge eating and related emotional mechanisms, underlying mechanisms in binge eating seem to be invariant for gender. Indeed, this study suggested that both external and internal shame experiences play an important role in binge eating symptomatology, when associated with body image-related shame and cognitive fusion, both in men and women. These findings seem to support that binge eating may emerge as a maladaptive attempt to cope with shame experiences in both sexes.

Level of evidence

Level III: case control analytic study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CINEICC, Center for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive Behavioral Intervention, Faculdade de Psicologia e Ciências da Educação, University of Coimbra, Rua do Colégio Novo, 3000-115, Coimbra, Portugal

    Daniela Melo, Sara Oliveira & Cláudia Ferreira

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  1. Daniela Melo
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  2. Sara Oliveira
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  3. Cláudia Ferreira
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Correspondence to Sara Oliveira.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. This study was approved by the Ethical Board of the Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences of the University of Coimbra.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Melo, D., Oliveira, S. & Ferreira, C. The link between external and internal shame and binge eating: the mediating role of body image-related shame and cognitive fusion. Eat Weight Disord 25, 1703–1710 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-019-00811-8

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