The Structural Correlation Modeling of Stress and Eating Disorder by mediating Meaning in Life and Experiential Avoidance

The purpose of this study was modeling the relationship between Stress and Eating Disorder by mediating the Meaning of Life and Experiential Avoidance. The research method is descriptive and type of Structural Correlation Modeling. The statistical population of this study is all studying students at Mashhad Ferdowsi University in 2020.. 387 people were selected from among the studying students by multi-stage cluster sampling method. The participants answered to Eating Attitudes Test (Garner et al., 1979), Multidimensional Experiential Avoidance Questionnaire (Gamez et al., 2011), Meaning of Life Questionnaire (Steger & Shin, 2010) and Student Stress Survey (Ross, Neibling, Heckert, 1999). Data were analyzed by SPSS 23 and AMOS 23 statistical software. P-value was smaller than 0.01 in the Total Effect Model analysis and the Mediation Effect Model analysis. The results of Total Effect Model analysis showed that the variable of Stress was directly and positively correlated with the variable of Eating Disorder. Also, the results of the Mediation Effect Model analysis showed that the variable of Experiential Avoidance mediates positively and partially the relationship between Stress and Eating Disorder. The Meaning of Life mediates negatively and partially the relationship between Stress and Eating Disorder. In addition to conceptualizing Eating Disorder, this study showed the relationship between Stress and Eating Disorder and revealed the role of Experiential Avoidance and the Meaning in life as two underlying and continuing factors that should be considered in the treatment of this disorder.