Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the mediating role of avoidance and compensatory coping styles in the relationship between perceived parenting styles and emotional eating in adults.
Method: The study sample consisted of 301 individuals. The Young Parenting Inventory, the Emotional Eating Scale, the Young-Rygh Avoidance Inventory and the Young Compensatory Inventory were used to collect the study data.
Results: Age; body mass index; overcompensating coping style responses of rebellion and counterdependency; and distraction through activity seen in the avoidance coping style were significant predictors of emotional eating. However, the variable model created did not indicate that coping styles had a mediating effect on emotional eating behavior.
Conclusion: Consideration of early maladaptive schemas is valuable to understanding the psychological processes involved in emotional eating. The results of this study may be help to develop greater insight into emotional eating and guide emotional and behavioral interventions.