Disordered eating behaviours as a consequence of unfulfilled basic psychological needs?
According to researchers, all humans have three basic psychological needs: the need for relatedness, the need for competence, and the need for autonomy. When these needs are satisfied we experience psychological wellbeing, productivity, and social functioning.
However, when these needs are frustrated it can take a toll on our mental health and we are at a greater risk of developing a psychological disorder, including an eating disorder. It seems that when people chronically fail to have the three basic psychological needs met, they seek out need substitutes to compensate for the psychological deficit. Abstaining from eating (or engaging in other unhealthy weight control behaviours) can represent one domain in which individuals regain a sense of structure, control, and effectiveness and thus feel autonomous and competent.
In this study I aimed to gain further insights into the pathway from psychological need satisfaction to eating disorder symptoms and what role control might play.
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