Abstract

MOURA, Daniela Rosa et al. Assessment of emotional eating and self-compassion in mothers of autistic children. Aval. psicol. [online]. 2025, vol.24, e25188.  Epub Sep 15, 2025. ISSN 1677-0471.  https://doi.org/10.15689/ap.2025.24.e25188.

This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate emotional eating in mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder and its association with sociodemographic, clinical, and behavioral variables, mainly self-compassion. A subscale of the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire – 21 was used to assess emotional eating, and the Self-Compassion Scale was used to assess self-compassion. Negative changes in eating habits and weight gain after the child’s diagnosis were predictors of greater emotional eating. Each increase of 0.209 kg/m2 in BMI increased this score by one point, and in relation to self-compassion, each increase of 0.280 points on this scale reduced the emotional eating score by one point. Accordingly, several variables were negatively or positively associated with the outcome. The inverse relationship between self-compassion and emotional eating demonstrates that this construct is a protective factor for the physical and psychological well-being of this population.

Keywords : Transtorno do Espectro Autista; comportamento alimentar; maternidade.

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