Mediating Role of Cognitive Emotion Regulation in Relationship Satisfaction and Eating Attitudes

Researchers from the Faculty of Social Sciences have conducted a study to investigate the mechanisms underlying the link between romantic relationship satisfaction and eating behaviors. The study, published in BMC Psychology, examined the mediating role of cognitive emotion regulation strategies, particularly catastrophizing, in this relationship. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 355 university students, who completed measures of relationship satisfaction, cognitive emotion regulation, and eating attitudes.

The study found that catastrophizing significantly mediated the relationship between romantic relationship satisfaction and eating attitudes. Romantic relationship satisfaction was negatively associated with catastrophizing, and catastrophizing was positively associated with problematic eating attitudes. The findings highlight the role of maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation in linking romantic relationship dissatisfaction with disordered eating attitudes, and suggest that targeting catastrophizing in interventions may improve both relationship satisfaction and eating behaviors.

Key Takeaways:

• The study investigated the mediating role of cognitive emotion regulation strategies in the relationship between romantic relationship satisfaction and eating behaviors.
• 355 university students participated in the cross-sectional study.
• Catastrophizing significantly mediated the relationship between romantic relationship satisfaction and eating attitudes (b = -0.18, p = .028).
• Romantic relationship satisfaction was negatively associated with catastrophizing (b = -0.18, p = .028).
• Catastrophizing was positively associated with problematic eating attitudes (b = 0.35, p = <.01).
• The findings suggest that targeting catastrophizing in interventions may improve both relationship satisfaction and eating behaviors.
• The study highlights the role of maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation in linking romantic relationship dissatisfaction with disordered eating attitudes.

Statistics:

• 355 university students participated in the study.
• The study used a cross-sectional design.
• Catastrophizing explained 31.5% of the variance in eating attitudes.
• The relationship between romantic relationship satisfaction and catastrophizing was statistically significant (p = .028).

Sources:

• BMC Psychology. (2025). The mediating role of cognitive emotion regulation skills in the relationship between romantic relationship satisfaction and eating attitudes. 13(1), 1-17.
• Faculty of Social Sciences Researchers Have Published New Study Findings on Psychology (The mediating role of cognitive emotion regulation skills in the relationship between romantic relationship satisfaction and eating attitudes). Psychology & Psychiatry Journal. September 6, 2025; p 85.