Exploring the Link Between Affective Touch in Childhood and Binge Eating Behavior: The Mediating Roles of Emotion Regulation and Unmet Psychological Needs

Objective: The purpose of the current study was to examine whether affective touch experiences in childhood and adolescence are associated with binge eating behaviors in adulthood, with emotion regulation, psychological need satisfaction and psychological need frustration serving as mediators. Method: An internationally diverse sample of 243 adults (155 females, 59 males, and 29 non-binary individuals) ranging in age from 18 to 67 years old responded to an online battery of scales that assessed the study variables. The hypotheses were evaluated using a series of mediations performed using the PROCESS add-on in SPSS. Results: Significant correlations were found between childhood affective touch experiences, interpersonal emotion regulation, psychological need satisfaction, psychological need frustration, and binge eating. Emotion regulation and unmet competence needs served as mediators linking affective touch to binge eating. Conclusions: The results suggest that deficiencies in childhood experiences of affective touch associated with insecure attachment might contribute to reduced tactile sensitivity. This diminished sensitivity could potentially result in decreased reliance on interpersonal emotion regulation, thus fostering frustration of competence needs and leading to the adoption of binge eating as a compensatory coping mechanism. Clinical Implications. The study highlights the importance for nurses to consider how childhood affective touch experiences impact emotional regulation and psychological needs. Understanding these early experiences can aid in building therapeutic relationships and addressing attachment issues. Nurses should focus on interventions that address unmet psychological needs, as these can influence behaviors like binge eating. Additionally, it’s crucial for nurses to monitor and manage binge eating by addressing both emotional and sensory factors.