Linking environmental pressures and trait emotional intelligence to eating symptomatology: the mediating role of unhealthy body self-perceptions

ABSTRACT

Objective

Research showed that trait emotional intelligence (trait EI), pressures from family, peers and media, and problematic perceptions of one’s body, are plausible antecedents for variation in the severity of eating disorders. This study examined the hypothesis that an association between pressures from one’s environment (peers, family, media), trait EI and eating pathology would be mediated by body uneasiness and appearance concern for one’s body.

Method

This online cross-sectional study enrolled a sample of 546 participants aged 18–24 years (M = 21.58; SD = 2.05), self-report questionnaires were administered to measure trait EI, environmental pressure, body uneasiness, appearance concern and eating disorder symptomatology.

Results

The results showed significant associations among trait EI, body uneasiness and appearance concern. Furthermore, significant links were found between environmental pressures, body uneasiness, appearance concern and eating disorders. Moreover, there was a significant association between body uneasiness and eating disorders and between appearance concern and eating disorders. Finally, indirect associations were found from trait EI to eating disorders by body uneasiness and appearance concern, and from environmental pressures to eating disorders by body uneasiness and appearance concern.

Conclusions

The study’s hypothesis was confirmed and suggested the importance of targeting image disturbances to improve the clinical efficacy of treatments for eating disorders.

Key Points

What is already known about this topic:

• (1) Eating disorders may be defined by the interaction of individual and environmental factors.

• (2) Body image disturbances are particularly significant factors influencing eating disorders.

• (3) Pressures from family, peers, and media are environmental factors strongly associated with eating disorders.

What this topic adds:

• (1) Trait emotional intelligence and environmental pressures significantly influence body image issues.

• (2) Body image issues mediate the relationship between trait emotional intelligence and eating disorders.

• (3) Body image issues mediate the relationship between factors of environmental pressures and eating disorders.

KEYWORDS:

• Trait emotional intelligence
• environmental pressures
• body uneasiness
• appearance concern
• eating disorders

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.