Objective While eating disorders (EDs) are more commonly diagnosed in females, there is growing awareness that men also experience EDs and may do so in a different way. Difficulties with emotion processing and emotion regulation are believed to be important in EDs, but as studies have involved predominantly female samples, it is unclear whether this is also true for males. Methods In a sample of 1604 participants (n = 631 males), we assessed emotion processing and emotion regulation in males with EDs (n = 109) and compared results to both females with EDs (n = 220) and males from the general population (n = 522). We also looked at whether emotion processing and emotion regulation difficulties predicted various aspects of eating psychopathology and whether this was moderated by sex. We assessed emotion processing with the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, emotion regulation with the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale and the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, and eating psychopathology with the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire. Results We found that males with ED, like their female counterparts, suffered from emotion processing and emotion regulation deficits. We did find some sex differences, in that males with EDs tended to report more difficulties with their emotions as well as a more externally oriented thinking style compared to females with EDs. Difficulties with emotion processing and emotion regulation were strongly predictive of various aspects of eating psychopathology in both sexes. Importantly, we found that sex moderated the relationship between cognitive reappraisal and eating restraint. As such, low use of reappraisal was found to be associated with higher levels of restraint in females but not in males. Discussion Difficulties with emotion processing and emotion regulation are associated with eating psychopathology in both males and females. Reappraisal was not found to be associated with reduced eating psychopathology in males, suggesting a cautious approach to interventions targeting this strategy. Research around explanatory mechanisms and interventions must adopt a broader viewpoint including those that are traditionally overlooked in EDs.

Objective Research suggests that beliefs about emotional controllability influence the use of emotion regulation strategies, which in turn impact psychological health and illness. However, no research has yet investigated whether emotional controllability is linked to eating psychopathology. The current study investigates whether these concepts are related, as individuals with eating disorders have problems with emotion regulation. Method We collected self-report data from 718 participants from a community sample using validated questionnaires, and ran mediational analyses to assess the relationship between emotional controllability and eating psychopathology, via reappraisal and suppression, two emotion regulation strategies. Results Our mediational analyses suggest that believing emotions to be uncontrollable relates to high levels of suppression (β = −.08), low levels of reappraisal (β = .19) and poorer eating disorder psychopathology (β = −.11). Reappraisal and suppression were found to partially mediate the relationship between emotional controllability and eating psychopathology. Discussion The current study has demonstrated relationships that support investigations relating emotional controllability, emotion regulation and psychological health. This research has potential implications for developing interventions to target beliefs about emotions in order to help improve emotion regulation skills and eating psychopathology.

Objective: While eating disorders (ED) are more commonly diagnosed in females, there is growing awareness that men also experience ED and may do so in a different way. Difficulties with emotion processing and emotion regulation are believed to be important in ED, but as studies have involved predominantly female samples, it is unclear whether this is also true for males.Methods: In the largest sample to date, consisting of 1604 participants (n=631 males), we assessed emotion processing and emotion regulation in males with ED and compared results to both females with ED and males from the general population. We also looked at whether emotion processing and emotion regulation difficulties predicted various aspects of eating psychopathology and whether this was moderated by sex. We assessed emotion processing with the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, and emotion regulation with the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale and the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire.Results: We found that males with ED, like their female counterparts, suffered from emotion processing and emotion regulation deficits. We did find some sex differences, in that males with ED tended to report more difficulties with their emotions as well as a more externally oriented thinking style compared to females with ED. Difficulties with emotion processing and emotion regulation were strongly predictive of various aspects of eating psychopathology in both sexes. Importantly, we found that sex moderated the relationship between reappraisal and eating restraint. As such, low use of reappraisal was found to be associated with higher levels of restrictive eating in females but not in males. Discussion: Difficulties with emotion processing and emotion regulation are associated with eating psychopathology in both males and females. Reappraisal was not found to be associated with reduced eating psychopathology in males, suggesting a cautious approach to interventions targeting this strategy. Research around explanatory mechanisms and interventions must adopt a broader viewpoint including those who are traditionally overlooked in ED.