(PS5-71) The Indirect Effects of Emotional Craving in the Relationship Between Positive Urgency and Binge Eating

Introduction:

Positive urgency, or the tendency to act rashly in response to positive emotions, has been linked to problematic behaviors such as gambling, alcohol use, and binge eating. Emotional craving, or a strong desire to fill an emotional need, is believed to mediate the relationship between positive urgency and problematic behaviors. While research suggests that affect influences binge episodes, no studies have specifically examined the role of emotional craving in binge eating. The current study aims to determine whether emotional craving shows an indirect effect in the relationship between positive urgency and binge eating.

Method:

Participants were 270 adults (47.5 % female, AgeM = 44.08 years old) recruited through Prolific Academic. A representative sample was drawn from adults in the United States. Participants completed the following questionnaires online: Attentive Responding Scale-18 (cases dropped based on attention as needed), UPPS-P Positive Urgency Subscale (positive urgency), Food Craving Questionnaire (emotional craving), and Eating Pathology Symptoms Inventory (binge eating). Data were analyzed using Hayes’ Process Model 7 with bootstrapping to test the indirect effect of emotional craving between positive urgency and binge eating. 

Results:  

Positive urgency predicted greater emotional craving (b = 3.33, 95% CI = [2.48, 4.18], p < .001). In turn, greater emotional craving predicted greater binge eating (b = .69, 95% CI = [.56, .82]). The total effect of positive urgency on binge eating was significant ( p < .001; R2 = .49), and a significant indirect effect emerged for emotional craving (b = 2.31, 95% CI = [1.56, .3.18]). In other words, as hypothesized, greater positive urgency predicted binge eating, via an indirect path through emotional craving. 

Conclusion:  

These findings align with prior research suggesting shared processes between binge eating and addictive behaviors. By identifying the indirect role of emotional craving between positive urgency and binge eating, this study advances our understanding of the emotional and cognitive factors that might trigger binge episodes. Future work using intensive longitudinal designs could better elucidate the temporal dynamics. This would help inform whether interventions targeting emotional craving may be especially helpful for individuals prone to episodes of binge eating impulsively in response to positive emotions.