Temperament and emotional overeating: the mediating role of caregiver response to children's negative emotions

This study investigated the mediating effects of caregiver responses to children's negative emotions on the association between infant temperament and emotional overeating in preschoolers. Using data from 358 children and caregivers in the STRONG Kids 2 study, structural equation modeling revealed that infant temperamental orienting/regulation predicted emotional overeating through supportive caregiver responses. Lower orienting/regulation was linked to more emotional overeating, explained by less supportive caregiver responses. Infant surgency directly influenced emotional overeating. Supportive and non-supportive caregiver responses also directly influenced emotional overeating. The findings highlight the importance of caregiver responses in mediating the link between temperament and emotional overeating, suggesting intervention strategies focusing on supportive caregiver responses to promote healthy eating behaviors.

Sehyun Ju, Samantha Iwinski, Kelly K. Bost