Emotion regulation and binge eating in children

OBJECTIVE: To examine the ability to regulate emotions in children with binge eating. METHOD: A community sample of 60 children ages 8-13 with at least one episode of loss of control (LOC) eating during the past 3 months and a matched control group without LOC (n = 60) underwent a clinical interview (Eating Disorder Examination adapted for Children) and completed self-report questionnaires assessing emotion regulation strategies, eating pathology, and depressive symptoms. RESULTS: Children with LOC eating made a significantly higher use of dysfunctional emotion regulation strategies (p < .01), especially for the regulation of anxiety (p < .01). Maladaptive strategies were associated with greater depressiveness (p < .001). Use of adaptive emotion regulation strategies did not differ between children with and without LOC eating. DISCUSSION: Results document an association between LOC eating and difficulties in regulating negative emotions in children. Interventions targeting LOC eating in children should include training for coping with negative emotions.