Action-state orientation and the self-regulation of eating behavior

The present study examined the association between eating behavior and individual differences in volitional functioning as assessed by the Action Control Scale [Kuhl, J. (1994a). Action versus state orientation: psychometric properties of the Action-Control Scale (ACS-90). Volition and personality: action versus state orientation (pp. 47-56). Seattle: Hogrefe Huber]. Two hundred and nineteen undergraduate women completed measures of personality, affect, and eating behavior, which included the Action Control Scale (ACS) and the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire [J. Psychosom. Res. 29 (1985) 71]. Hierarchical regression analyses that controlled for the influence of negative affect showed that scores on the Hesitation subscale of the ACS were positively associated with overeating and negatively associated with dietary restraint. These findings illustrate the importance of action-state orientation in the self-regulation of eating behavior and suggest the potential utility of targeting volitional skills in interventions to modify dysfunctional patterns of eating.