Effectiveness of Dialectical Behavior Therapy on Emotional Eating and Sexual Self-Concept in Women with Binge Eating Disorder and Metabolic Syndrome with Abdominal Obesity

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) on emotional eating and sexual self-concept among women with binge eating disorder and metabolic syndrome accompanied by abdominal obesity. This study employed a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design with a control group. The statistical population consisted of women with binge eating disorder and metabolic syndrome with abdominal obesity who referred to Saraye Aramesh Niyan Psychological Counseling Center in Tehran in 2026. Thirty participants were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned into experimental and control groups. The experimental group received 20 sessions of 120-minute DBT intervention, whereas the control group received no intervention. Data collection instruments included the Salzburg Emotional Eating Scale (SEES), Multidimensional Sexual Self-Concept Questionnaire (MSSCQ), and Binge Eating Scale (BES). Data were analyzed using multivariate and univariate analyses of covariance. The results demonstrated that DBT significantly reduced emotional eating and improved sexual self-concept among women with binge eating disorder and metabolic syndrome with abdominal obesity. For emotional eating, the ANCOVA results showed F=16.321 with an effect size of 0.711, indicating substantial treatment effectiveness. In addition, for sexual self-concept, F=17.031 and an effect size of 0.776 were obtained. Tukey post hoc test results further indicated significant differences between the experimental and control groups at P<0.01, favoring the experimental group in both variables. The findings suggest that Dialectical Behavior Therapy is an effective intervention for reducing emotional eating and enhancing sexual self-concept in women with binge eating disorder and metabolic syndrome associated with abdominal obesity. DBT skills, including emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and mindfulness, contributed to improved emotional control and more positive self-perceptions among participants. Therefore, the integration of DBT into psychological and clinical treatment programs for this population is recommended.