Investigating the Relationship Between Sleep Quality and Psychological Resilience with Emotional Eating in Students

Abstract

The present study aimed to determine the relationship between sleep quality and psychological resilience with emotional eating among students of Islamic Azad University, Rasht Branch. This study employed a descriptive-correlational design using path analysis. The statistical population consisted of all students of Islamic Azad University, Rasht Branch, during the 2024–2025 academic year, from whom 400 participants were selected through convenience sampling. Data collection instruments included the Salzburg Emotional Eating Scale, the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficients and stepwise multiple regression analysis. The findings indicated a significant negative relationship between sleep quality and emotional eating (p<0.01, r=-0.380). Significant negative correlations were also observed between all components of psychological resilience and emotional eating. Stepwise regression analysis demonstrated that personal competence/personal strength explained 19.1% of the variance in emotional eating in the first step, while the addition of sleep quality increased the explained variance to 20.1% in the second step. The results suggested that poorer sleep quality and lower personal competence were associated with higher levels of emotional eating among students. The findings demonstrated that sleep quality and psychological resilience, particularly the component of personal competence/personal strength, play an important role in predicting emotional eating among university students. Therefore, improving sleep quality and strengthening psychological resilience may serve as effective strategies for reducing maladaptive emotional eating behaviors and promoting students’ mental health.