College Student Binge Eating: Attachment, Psychological Needs Satisfaction, and Emotion Regulation

In this study we examine the mediating roles of psychological needs satisfaction (i.e., autonomy, competence, and relatedness) and emotion regulation difficulties in the relationship between attachment insecurity (i.e., attachment anxiety and avoidance) and binge eating behavior in college students. A total sample of 820 college students participated in this study. Structural equation modeling was performed to test a mediation hypothesis. The mediation model that included psychological needs satisfaction and emotion regulation difficulties as sequential mediators for the link between attachment insecurity and binge eating behavior fit the data well.