A Preliminary Examination of Weight Based Psychological Aggression in Intimate Relationships

This two-part study examined a new form of intimate partner aggression termed weight based psychological aggression. Past work supports a theoretical and empirical relationship between intimate partner aggression and eating disorder symptoms. Additionally, negative events within romantic relationships are related to major risk factors of eating disorders (e.g.. body dissatisfaction, body consciousness). In the current studies, a new measure that assessed weight based psychological aggression was examined to explore its factor structure and psychometric properties. A second aim of these studies was to further examine the weight based psychological aggression construct and how it related to eating disorder symptoms. Emotion dysregulation is one important factor that may explain the relationship between weight based psychological aggression and disordered eating behaviors (e.g., eating disorder symptoms, body consciousness). Intimate partner aggression victimization was also included in the mediational model to further examine the mediating effect of emotion dysregulation on the relationship between intimate partner aggression and disordered eating behaviors. Results from the current studies supported the factor structure of the weight based psychological aggression measure and the convergent validity. The convergent validity was partially supported, and the discriminant validity was supported. Results from the mediation analyses indicated a significant effect supporting emotion regulation as a mediator of the relationship between the Guilt/Pressure subscale of the new measure and eating disorder symptoms. However, fit indices indicated poor model fit, decreasing confidence in the theoretical models. Emotion dysregulation did not mediate the relationship between the Retaliatory/Coercive subscale of the new measure and disordered eating behaviors (e.g., eating disorder symptoms, body consciousness). The mediating effect of emotion regulation on intimate partner aggression and disordered eating (e.g., eating disorder symptoms, body consciousness) was also not significant. Results from the current studies support the need for continued research, particularly among clinical samples. Implications for research and treatment are discussed.