Self-consciousness and binge eating in college women: an escape from rumination?

Background: Binge-eating is a highly distressing symptom that has been found to co-occur with other symptoms of eating disorders such as bulimia nervosa. One perspective of binge eating is that it is an attempt to escape high levels of aversive self-consciousness. A primary aim of this study is to examine a role for rumination, and in particular brooding, as a mediating mechanism between self-consciousness and binge eating. A secondary aim is to examine the relative impact of private and public self-consciousness through brooding on binge eating. Methods: 235 female college students completed questionnaires containing measures of: public and private self-consciousness, Ruminative Response Scale-Eating Disorders (RRS-ED), and Binge eating (single item taken from the Eating Attitudes Test-26). Findings: Multiple mediation bootstrap analysis revealed a single mediation pathway from public self-consciousness through brooding on binge eating. Discussion: These findings suggest, firstly, that binge eating can be seen as an attempt to escape passive and recurrent thoughts about how a woman’s body appears to others. Secondly, that such rumination occurs over and above a self-reported body weight. Thirdly, and finally, that ruminating about eating, weight and shape should be a focus on binge-eating interventions