Negative parenting styles and disordered eating: an item-level bridge network and simulation-based intervention analysis

Negative parenting styles are known correlates of disordered eating (DE), yet existing studies have largely focused on construct-level associations, leaving the specific item-level pathways between parenting styles and DE unclear. Identifying these fine-grained mechanisms may offer more targeted insights for prevention and intervention. A large sample of Chinese college students (N = 2,008) completed the short-form Egna Minnen av Barndoms Uppfostran for Chinese (s-EMBU-C; paternal rejection, maternal rejection, paternal overprotection, and maternal overprotection subscales) and the Eating Attitudes Test–19 (EAT-19). Applying Gaussian Graphical Models, item-level bridge network analyses were conducted to estimate conditional associations (edges) among individual parenting and DE items (nodes), and Bridge Expected Influence was used to identify nodes that link the two communities. A simulation-based intervention analysis was then conducted to examine how constraining individual bridge nodes—and their sequential removal—reduced cross-community connectivity, quantified using the CrossCut (Cross-Community Coupling) metric. For rejection, bridge nodes included unexplained parental anger, being treated as a scapegoat, and shaming treatment (plus maternal public criticism), along with food avoidance despite hunger and preoccupation with body fat. For overprotection, bridges involved excessive parental worry, exaggerated safety anxiety, and intrusive interference (plus maternal control over appearance), together with desire for an empty stomach and perceived thinness by others. Simulation analyses showed that clamping individual bridge nodes reduced the CrossCut by approximately 13–30%, whereas cumulative clamping produced substantial overall reductions (up to 76–83%), yet displayed clear marginal effects. These findings highlight that hostile, shaming parental treatments and anxious, intrusive over-involvement, intertwined with restrictive and body-image focused symptoms, constitute the core pathways linking negative parenting styles and DE. Targeting high-impact bridge nodes, rather than the full set, was sufficient to substantially weaken the connection between the parenting and DE communities. These insights provide a useful reference for developing more efficient support strategies for college students. This study explored how negative parenting styles relate to disordered eating (DE) among 2,008 Chinese college students. Unlike many previous studies, we examined these links at the item level using network analysis, allowing us to identify the specific parenting behaviors and DE symptoms that play key bridging roles. The results revealed that hostile, shaming, or intrusive parenting behaviors (such as unexplained anger and over-control) and restrictive eating or body image concerns form the core pathways connecting negative parenting with DE. We further tested these key nodes using a simulation-based intervention approach. The results showed that a small number of parenting-related bridge nodes play a disproportionately important role: addressing just these nodes was sufficient to greatly weaken the overall connection between negative parenting and DE. These insights provide a valuable reference for developing more efficient support strategies for college students.