Impact of interpersonal and ego-related stress on restrained eaters

Objective: This study examined the impact of different types of stress, one inter, personal and two ego-related versus a control condition, on the eating behavior of individuals with varying degrees of dietary restraint. Method: Eighty-two females were randomly assigned to one of three manipulations or a control group, and then all groups completed an ice cream taste test. Results: A significant interaction revealed that for participants with higher restraint, those in the stressful manipulations ate significantly more than participants in the control group. Further, the pattern of consumption based on restraint for the interpersonal group differed from the other three conditions. In the interpersonal group, the greater the restraint, the more participants ate, whereas in the other three conditions, the pattern was reversed although not significantly so. Discussion: Findings are discussed in terms of the role that interpersonal stress plays in the eating behavior of dieters and potential implications regarding the development of eating disorders. (C) 2000 by John Wiley and Sons, Inc.