Abstract
Objective
The current study investigates the influence of negative mood induction and impulsivity on self‐perceptions with respect to emotional eating. Negative affect as well as high impulsivity was expected to increase levels of self‐perceived emotional eating.
Method
College students who were high versus low in impulsivity were assigned randomly to either a negative (failure on a quiz) or a neutral mood induction. Their levels of self‐perceived emotional eating were measured after and before mood induction.
Results
Negative affect appeared to enhance the level of self‐perceived emotional eating significantly (p < .01). There was no statistically significant effect of impulsivity. The interaction effect of affect and impulsivity approached significance (p = .08), indicating that highly impulsive subjects compared with subjects low in impulsivity were more strongly influenced by negative affect in self‐perceived emotional eating.
Discussion
Negative affect substantially influences self‐perceptions in terms of emotional eating, which is relevant for both prevention and treatment. © 2004 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 36: 461–469, 2004.