title: The importance of thinking styles in predicting binge eating.
abstract: Impulsivity, Body Mass Index, negative emotions and irrational food beliefs are often reported as predictors of binge eating. In the current study we explored the role played by two thinking styles, namely food thought suppression and desire thinking, in predicting binge eating among young adults controlling for established predictors of this condition. A total of 338 university students (268 females) participated in this study by completing a battery of questionnaires measuring the study variables. Path analysis revealed that impulsivity was not associated with binge eating, that Body Mass Index and negative emotions predicted binge eating, and that irrational food beliefs only influenced binge eating via food thought suppression and desire thinking. In conclusion, thinking styles appear an important predictor of binge eating and they should be taken into consideration when developing clinical interventions for binge eating.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Kingston University, Kingston-upon-Thames, UK. Electronic address: a.nikcevic@kingston.ac.uk.
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Nikčević
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Psicologia dello Sviluppo e della Socializzazione, Università degli Studi di Padova, Padova, Italy; Division of Psychology, School of Applied Sciences, London South Bank University, London, UK.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marino
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychology, School of Applied Sciences, London South Bank University, London, UK; Studi Cognitivi, Milano, Italy; Sigmund Freud University, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Caselli
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychology, School of Applied Sciences, London South Bank University, London, UK.
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Spada
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002032:Bulimia / Q000523:psychology*; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D005502:Food; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013850:Thinking; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Binge eating; Desire thinking; Food thought suppression; Impulsivity; Irrational food beliefs; Negative emotions; Self-reported Body Mass Index