Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2026

Publication Title

Current Psychology

Keywords

binge eating, restricted eating, psychological needs, emotional regulation, mental energy

Abstract

Based on self-determination theory [Ryan and Deci, Am. Psychol. 55:68–78 (2000)], emotion-regulation models of disordered eating, the resource-depletion model [Baumeister, J. Consum. Res. 28(4):670–676 (2002)], and biopsychological theories of mood [Thayer, The biopsychology of mood and arousal. Oxford University Press (1989)], we propose an emotional‒motivational trio (EMT) model to predict disordered eating. The EMT of thwarted psychological needs, negative emotions, and felt energy were examined separately but not in an integrative framework, leaving their relative contributions and connections largely unexamined. We hypothesized that (a) thwarted needs and negative emotions would predict binge eating and restricted eating and that (b) felt energy would predict binge eating negatively and restricted eating positively, at both within-person and between-person levels. U.S. college students (n = 124) completed a survey daily for 2 weeks, which included the Psychological Needs Thwarting Scale [Bartholomew et al., J. Sport Exerc. Psychol. 33:75–102 (2011)], Emotional Eating Scale [Arnow et al., Int. J. Eat. Disord. 8:79–90 (1995)], a newly developed Felt Energy Scale, two questions about binge eating, and four questions about restricted eating. Multilevel modeling analysis results showed that between-person thwarted psychological needs and low felt energy positively predicted binge eating and restricted eating, and negative emotions negatively predicted them. Both binge eating and restricted eating may serve to compensate for chronically thwarted needs and resulting negative emotions (vs. general negative emotions) and low energy, highlighting the importance of understanding the crucial role of thwarted needs in disordered eating by examining them in tandem with negative emotions and felt energy. Identifying functional ways to fulfill psychological needs and increase long-term energy would be important to disrupt a vicious cycle of engaging in disordered eating behaviors.

Funding Source

This article was published open access thanks to a transformative agreement between Milner Library and Springer Nature.

Comments

First published in Current Psychology (2026): https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-026-10265-8

DOI

10.1007/s12144-026-10265-8

Download

Included in

Psychology Commons

Share

COinS