Emotional Intelligence, Perceived Control, and Eating Disorders

Studies on Emotional Intelligence (EI) have demonstrated the concept’s potential in accounting for a broad range of health-related outcomes. Preliminary evidence associates measures of EI with disordered eating and other related behaviors. This study proposed a mediation effect of perceived control in the above association. We hypothesized that (a) EI will positively associate with perceived control and (b) perceived control will associate positively with Anorexia and negatively with Bulimia symptomatology. One hundred and thirty young adults residing in Israel filled out measures assessing Anorexia (drive for thinness), Bulimia, perceived control, and EI (two measures). The results lent only partial support to the hypotheses: EI showed a nonlinear association with control, which in turn showed nonlinear association with Anorexia scores, and contrary to our hypothesis, positive association with Bulimia scores. A Sobel test supported the mediation models for both eating disorder measures. The results are discussed and future research is proposed to further examine this hypothesized mechanism.