Effect of intolerance of uncertainty on emotional eating in college students: a longitudinal moderated mediation model

This study, grounded in the current uncertain societal context and the theoretical perspective of resource scarcity, explores the inherent psychological mechanisms associated with intolerance of uncertainty and emotional eating among college students and seeks relevant protective factors. A longitudinal survey was conducted at two time points at a three-month interval. The Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale, Self-Regulatory Fatigue Scale, Emotional Eating Questionnaire, and Connectedness to Nature Questionnaire were used to collect valid data from 468 college students. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 24.0 and Amos 23.0. Findings indicated that intolerance of uncertainty at T1 was positively associated with emotional eating at T2 ( β = 0.08, p = 0.01) and self-regulatory fatigue at T2 ( β = 0.19, p < 0.001). Self-regulatory fatigue at T2 significantly mediated the relationship between intolerance of uncertainty at T1 and emotional eating at T2. Moreover, connectedness to nature at T1 moderated the relationship between intolerance of uncertainty at T1 and self-regulatory fatigue at T2 ( β = –0.07, p = 0.01). This study provides a new theoretical perspective on understanding emotional eating behavior among university students in the contemporary environment, suggesting that greater intolerance of uncertainty, along with greater consumption of psychological resources, is positively associated with emotional eating. These findings suggest that replenishing psychological resources and fostering connectedness to nature represent promising avenues for future research on emotional eating.