Perceived Stress and Emotional Eating in University Students: The Mediating Role of Shame and the Moderating Role of Loneliness

Abstract

Background: To investigate the current status of perceived stress and emotional eating among university students, and to examine the mediating role of shame and the moderating role of loneliness in this relationship. Methods: From March to October 2025, a randomized cluster sampling method was used to select students from Qiqihar Medical University in Heilongjiang Province. A total of 1000 university students were invited to participate in the survey using the Chinese Perceived Stress Scale (CPSS), the University of California at Los Angeles Loneliness Scale (UCLA) Loneliness Scale, the Experience of Shame Scale (ESS), and the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DEBQ). Results: Ultimately, 920 valid questionnaires were collected, yielding an effective response rate of 92.00%. Scores for perceived stress, emotional eating, shame, and loneliness were all significantly positively correlated with each other (p < 0.05). Shame played a partial mediating role in the relationship between perceived stress and emotional eating. The interaction term between shame and loneliness significantly associated with emotional eating (standardized coefficient = 0.083, p = 0.008). Conclusions: Perceived stress in university students is directly associated with emotional eating. Shame mediates the relationship between perceived stress and emotional eating, and loneliness moderates this mediating pathway.