Relationships of Attitudes toward Eating and Eating Behaviors with Invalidating Childhood Environment in Adults: The Mediating Role of Self-Compassion, Distress Tolerance, and Impulsivity

Farima  Rahmati; Simin Alipour  Marjghal; Maryam  Aaslzaker; Fatemeh  Rafeie; Mohammad  Noori; Imaneh  Abasi

doi:10.18502/ijps.v20i4.19682

Farima Rahmati Department of Clinical Psychology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Simin Alipour Marjghal Department of Educational Psychology, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
Maryam Aaslzaker Department of Clinical Psychology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Fatemeh Rafeie Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran.
Mohammad Noori Department of Clinical Psychology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Imaneh Abasi Department of Clinical Psychology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ijps.v20i4.19682

Keywords: Childhood Invalidation; Eating Behaviors; Impulsivity; Mediation; Self-Compassion

Abstract

Objective: Eating disorders (EDs) are prevalent in adulthood and often originate in adolescence, influenced by various psychological factors, including childhood experiences. This research investigated how self-compassion, distress tolerance, and impulsivity function as mediators between early experiences of emotional invalidation during childhood and individuals’ eating patterns and attitudes in adulthood.

Method: The study involved 1,217 students (86.2% female), recruited through convenience sampling. Participants completed standardized questionnaires assessing eating behaviors, eating attitudes, self-compassion, distress tolerance, and impulsivity. The proposed model was tested using structural equation modeling (SEM).

Results: Impulsivity and self-compassion significantly mediated the relationship between childhood invalidation and both eating behavior (β = 0.161, P < 0.05) and eating attitude (β = 0.077, P < 0.01). Distress tolerance did not serve as a significant mediator in the model. Invalidating childhood environment was directly related to impulsivity (β = 0.303, P < 0.001) and self-compassion (β = -0.350, P < 0.001). Self-compassion and impulsivity were significant predictors of eating behavior and attitudes.

Conclusion: Childhood experiences of invalidation contribute to maladaptive eating behaviors and attitudes through the mediating roles of impulsivity and self-compassion. Notably, impulsivity had a stronger indirect effect on both outcomes compared to self-compassion. The results indicate that fostering self-compassion and managing impulsive tendencies may serve as important focal points for interventions designed to prevent or treat eating disorders.