The mediating role of ability to delay gratification in the relationship between emotional abuse and dieting behavior in healthy adolescents: Considering body mass index as a covariate

Objectives: In the present study we investigated the relationship between interpersonal childhood trauma, ability to delay gratification (DG), and disordered eating attitudes among adolescents. Methods: Data were collected from 145 adolescents aged 12 to 17 through an online survey distributed to parents and legal guardians. The sociodemographic data form, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26), and Delaying Gratification Inventory were filled out by adolescents in the study. Results: Sociodemographic data revealed a mean age of 15.07 ± 1.64 years, with 62.8% females (n = 91). Correlation analyses revealed associations between body mass index (BMI), interpersonal childhood trauma experiences (measured by CTQ), and disordered eating attitudes (measured by EAT-26). Notably, emotional abuse correlated negatively with ability to DG and positively with dieting behavior. Mediation analysis showed that ability to DG partially mediated the relationship between emotional abuse and dieting behavior, even after controlling for BMI percentiles. Conclusions: These findings suggest that emotional abuse may influence disordered eating attitudes especially dieting behavior through its impact on ability to DG. Further research is warranted to validate these findings and explore intervention strategies for adolescents affected by interpersonal childhood trauma and disordered eating attitudes.