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Abstract(s)
O aumento progressivo das Perturbações da Alimentação e da Ingestão (PAI), tanto na população geral como no meio académico, constitui-se como uma preocupação de saúde pública que resulta da interação entre vários fatores. Neste sentido, a saúde mental dos estudantes universitários deve ser um tópico de importância central, dada a vulnerabilidade acrescida a que estão expostos nesta determinada fase. As mudanças ao nível financeiro, social, familiar, expõem-nos a níveis elevados de stress e podem acarretar riscos acrescidos para os estudantes desenvolverem psicopatologias. A preocupação com a imagem corporal que surge nestas faixas etárias pode estar a contribuir para o aumento das PAI que se observa no contexto universitário. As dificuldades de regulação emocional parecem ter um papel central no desenvolvimento e manutenção das PAI. Como tal, considera-se relevante a exploração de fatores de proteção no âmbito destas perturbações, como é o caso do mindfulness, que tem vindo a ser abordado como um mecanismo eficiente. Apesar do suporte teórico existente sobre a temática, a investigação no meio académico português é praticamente nula. O presente estudo procura analisar o contributo do mindfulness e da desregulação emocional nas atitudes e comportamentos relacionados com as PAI. Participaram 400 estudantes universitários que responderam a um Questionário Sociodemográfico, ao Teste de Atitudes Alimentares-40, ao Questionário das Cinco Facetas Mindfulness e à Escala de Dificuldades de Regulação Emocional. A análise correlacional das atitudes e comportamentos alimentares com mindfulness revelou-se negativa e com a desregulação emocional relevou-se positiva. A relação entre o mindfulness e o comportamento alimentar é mediada pela desregulação emocional. Este estudo representa um contributo para a compreensão dos fatores envolvidos no comportamento alimentar e dos mecanismos de desenvolvimento e manutenção das PAI, corroborando a literatura. Para além disso, promove a reflexão acerca da interação das variáveis em estudo, que se encontra pouco fundamentada na investigação. Considerando que existem de facto mecanismos protetores, como é o caso do mindfulness, no que diz respeito às PAI, a sua exploração precoce, através de programas nas universidades, permitiria prevenir comportamentos alimentares desadaptativos e promover estratégias adaptativas que permitissem aos estudantes a perseverança da sua saúde mental.
The progressive increase of Eating Disorders among the general population and university students is considered a public health concern that results from the interactionof several factors. The students’ mental health should be an important matter since they are a more vulnerable population. The financial, social and familiar changes experienced by them can lead to higher levels of stress, increasing the risk of developing psychopathologies. On top of that, concerns regarding body image that tend to emerge in this age may be contributing to the increase of Eating Disorders in the academic environment. Emotional regulation difficulties seem to play an important role in the development and maintenance of Eating Disorders. It is also relevant to explore protective factors, such as mindfulness, that as been discussed as a useful mechanism. Despite all the theoretical support on this topic, research in portuguese university context is nearly non-existent. The present study aims to analyse the role of mindfulness and emotional dysregulation in attitudes and behaviours related to Eating Disorders. Participants were 400 university students who answered a Sociodemographic Questionnaire, the Eating Attitudes Test-40, the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire and the Difficulties of Emotional Regulation Scale. The correlational analysis between dysfunctional eating behaviors and emotional dysregulation revealed positive associations, and between dysfunctional eating behaviors and mindfulness showed mostly negative associations. The relationship between mindfulness and eating behavior is mediated by emotional dysregulation. This study represents a contribution on the understanding of the factors involved in the development mechanisms of Eating Disorders, corroborating the previous knowledge. Despite that, it promotes a reflection on the interaction of the variables, that appears to be poorly represented in the literature. Considering the existence of protective mechanisms against Eating Disorders, like mindfulness, the exploration of those factors through university programs, could prevent maladaptive eating habits and provide adaptive strategies that allow the students to preserve their mental health.
The progressive increase of Eating Disorders among the general population and university students is considered a public health concern that results from the interactionof several factors. The students’ mental health should be an important matter since they are a more vulnerable population. The financial, social and familiar changes experienced by them can lead to higher levels of stress, increasing the risk of developing psychopathologies. On top of that, concerns regarding body image that tend to emerge in this age may be contributing to the increase of Eating Disorders in the academic environment. Emotional regulation difficulties seem to play an important role in the development and maintenance of Eating Disorders. It is also relevant to explore protective factors, such as mindfulness, that as been discussed as a useful mechanism. Despite all the theoretical support on this topic, research in portuguese university context is nearly non-existent. The present study aims to analyse the role of mindfulness and emotional dysregulation in attitudes and behaviours related to Eating Disorders. Participants were 400 university students who answered a Sociodemographic Questionnaire, the Eating Attitudes Test-40, the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire and the Difficulties of Emotional Regulation Scale. The correlational analysis between dysfunctional eating behaviors and emotional dysregulation revealed positive associations, and between dysfunctional eating behaviors and mindfulness showed mostly negative associations. The relationship between mindfulness and eating behavior is mediated by emotional dysregulation. This study represents a contribution on the understanding of the factors involved in the development mechanisms of Eating Disorders, corroborating the previous knowledge. Despite that, it promotes a reflection on the interaction of the variables, that appears to be poorly represented in the literature. Considering the existence of protective mechanisms against Eating Disorders, like mindfulness, the exploration of those factors through university programs, could prevent maladaptive eating habits and provide adaptive strategies that allow the students to preserve their mental health.
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Keywords
College students Emotional regulation difficulties Eating Disorders Protective mechanisms Mindfulness.