Mindfulness and binge eating symptoms in undergraduate college females
Date
2018
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Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
Mindfulness is a multi-faceted construct. Its five constituent facets include: observing, describing, acting with awareness, nonjudgment of inner experience and nonreactivity to inner experience. Mindfulness is a skill that is now being studied due to its relationship to lower levels of negative psychological conditions. Binge eating symptoms, which are associated with negative psychological states such as anxiety and depression, are especially prominent among college females. Currently, no study has investigated the relationship between all five of the facets and binge eating symptoms in undergraduate college females. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between mindfulness as a whole, and all five facets of mindfulness and binge eating symptoms in undergraduate college females. ☐ Fifty-two female college students (18-26 years old) at the University of Delaware completed self-administered questionnaires assessing demographic characteristics, mindfulness and binge eating symptoms as part of a randomized controlled trial. Anthropometric measurements were also taken. There was a significant, moderate, negative correlation between mindfulness and binge eating symptoms (rs(50)= -0.48 p<0.01), indicating that as mindfulness increased, binge eating symptoms decreased. Three of the five facets were significantly negatively related to binge eating symptoms: acting with awareness (rs(50)= -0.36, p=0.08), nonjudgment of inner experience (rs(50)= -0.49, p<0.01) and nonreactivity to inner experience (rs(50)= -0.49, p<0.01). Observing and describing were not significantly associated with binge eating symptoms (p’s > 0.05). The relationship between mindfulness and binge eating symptoms did not differ between individuals with a Body Mass Index (BMI) indicating overweight (BMI ≥25.0) or normal weight (BMI <24.9). Results from this study can be used to inform future interventions that develop prevention strategies and mindfulness-based intervention programs for binge eating symptoms in college females. Based on the results described here, a focus on the facets acting with awareness, nonjudgment, and nonreactivity may be beneficial for these programs. The temporal relationship between the facets of mindfulness and binge eating symptoms is an avenue for future research.
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Keywords
Health and environmental sciences, Binge eating symptoms, Mindfulness, Undergraduate college females