Body satisfaction and pressure to be thin in younger and older Muslim and non-Muslim women: The role of Western and non-Western dress preferences

Younger and older Muslim and non-Muslim women living in the United States completed questionnaires about body satisfaction and their internalization of Western standards of beauty (thin-ideal). Younger Muslim women wearing non-Western clothing and a head veil were significantly less likely to express drive for thinness or pressure to attain a thin-ideal standard of beauty than women wearing Western dress or younger women wearing non-Western dress without a head veil. Older women, while expressing greater discrepancy between their ideal body shape and their current body shape, and less satisfaction with their bodies than younger women, reported less drive for thinness and less pressure to attain the Western thin-ideal standard of beauty than younger women. These results are discussed in terms of how factors such as age and religion may serve as protective factors against a strong or unhealthy drive for thinness or thin-ideal standard.     

Clarifying body-image disturbance: analysis of a multidimensional model using structural modeling

A multidimensional model of body-image disturbance was tested. The model incorporated the concepts of body-size distortion, preference for thinness, body dissatisfaction, and fear of fatness as predictors of restrictive eating. The LISREL 7 program was used to perform a structural modeling analysis of the theoretical model. A total of 175 women participated in the study (54 eating-disordered patients and 121 undergraduate students). The results supported the hypothesized four-dimensional model relative to alternative one-, two-, and three-dimensional models. Body dissatisfaction appeared to be directly affected by both body-size distortion and preference for thinness. Fear of fatness was found to be the best predictor of restrictive eating. The results appeared consistent across the clinical and nonclinical samples. These data may help resolve many of the current controversies in the body-image literature. The results also suggested the need to develop more sound assessment instruments for fear of fatness.     

胖负面身体自我女性对身体信息注意偏向成分的时间进程：一项眼动追踪研究

虽然目前大量研究基于Vitousek和Hollon (1990)提出的饮食失调认知模型对胖负面身体自我图式者或饮食失调者的注意偏向进行探讨, 但对其注意偏向的成分仍未得出一致结论, 且尚无研究查考其时间进程特点。研究采用更具生态效度的身体图片为实验刺激, 刺激呈现时间2000ms, 采用传统经典的点探测范式与眼动追踪技术结合, 探讨胖负面身体自我女性对身体信息注意偏向成分的时间进程。基于前人的工作(Castellanos et al., 2009; Garner, Mogg, & Bradley, 2006), 研究考察了四个眼动数据：首视点定向偏向分数、首视点潜伏期偏向分数、首视点注视时间偏向以及总注视时间偏向分数, 系统探讨了注意定向、探测时间、最初注意维持/回避以及总体注意维持/回避。眼动数据发现, 胖负面身体自我图式者对不同身体图片存在不同的注意偏向模式, 对胖图片为注意警觉—维持模式, 具体表现为早期加速探测、注意定向, 以及最初的注意维持和总体注意维持; 对瘦图片仅为注意警觉, 具体表现为早期加速探测; 行为数据支持实验组对胖图片的注意维持以及对身体图片的注意脱离困难。该结果部分支持Vitousek和Hollon (1990)的模型, 即负面身体自我图式能够易化对图式一致信息的加工, 而未发现对图式不一致信息的回避或抑制。     

Teasing, acculturation, and cultural conflict: psychosocial correlates of body image and eating attitudes among South Asian women

The current study examined sociocultural correlates of body dissatisfaction and maladaptive eating attitudes among 74 South Asian American women. Participants completed measures assessing three forms of teasing--general appearance, weight/shape, and ethnic--as well as thin-ideal internalization, acculturation, cultural conflict, body dissatisfaction, and maladaptive eating attitudes. Results indicated that all three types of teasing and cultural conflict were significantly related to body dissatisfaction and maladaptive eating attitudes. Cultural conflict was found to mediate the relationship between ethnic teasing and body dissatisfaction. Neither thin-ideal internalization nor acculturation was significantly associated with either body dissatisfaction or maladaptive eating attitudes. However, body dissatisfaction was found to mediate the relationship between weight/shape teasing and maladaptive eating attitudes. Implications of these findings and possible future directions for research on South Asian American women are discussed.     

Athletic-ideal and thin-ideal internalization as prospective predictors of body dissatisfaction,dieting, and compulsive exercise

Although internalization of the thin ideal has been extensively researched and is now regarded as a risk factor for eating disturbance, endorsement of the firm, athletic body ideal has received only minimal attention. This short-term longitudinal study explored whether internalization of two aspects of the current cultural ideal (thinness and athleticism) prospectively predicted three potentially deleterious outcomes: body dissatisfaction, dieting, and compulsive exercise. Undergraduate women (N = 231) completed self-report measures at the beginning of the academic year and again 7 months later (N = 156 at Time 2). Athletic-ideal internalization predicted change in compulsive exercise over the 7-month study period but not body dissatisfaction or dieting; thin-ideal internalization predicted change in all three outcomes. When both internalization measures were tested simultaneously, neither contributed unique variance. Results suggest that athletic-ideal internalization is not as detrimental as thin-ideal internalization.     

The effect of viewing ultra-fit images on college women's body dissatisfaction

Modern ideals of female attractiveness include an extremely toned and fit appearance in addition to extreme thinness. Although viewing thin models has a negative effect on women's body image, research has not tested the effect of exposure to the ultra-fit physique separate from the thin-ideal. This randomized, posttest-only experiment tested the effects of the athletic aspect of the current ideal by exposing 138 undergraduate women to thin and athletic models, normal weight athletic models, or a control condition consisting of neutral objects. The study also tested the moderating effects of thin-ideal and athletic-ideal internalization. Exposure to thin ultra-fit models, but not normal weight ultra-fit models, produced an increase in body dissatisfaction and neither internalization variable moderated this effect. Findings suggest that interventions that focus on the benefits of fitness while challenging the desirability of thinness may offer promising results.     

Media influence and body dissatisfaction in preadolescent ballet dancers and non-physically active girls

ObjectivesThe present study analysed media influences and body dissatisfaction in preadolescent non-professional female ballet dancers and non-physically active girls.DesignCross-sectional design.MethodParticipants were 135 Italian preadolescent girls: 67 non-professional ballet dancers (M = 12.28 years) and 68 non-physically active girls (M = 12.56 years). Participants completed a questionnaire assessing body mass index (BMI), perceived media pressure to reach the societal body ideal, thin-ideal internalization, athletic internalization and body dissatisfaction.ResultsNo significant differences between ballet dancers and non-dancers emerged on age; however, dancers had a significantly lower BMI. Therefore, BMI was used as a covariate. No significant difference between the two groups emerged on perceived media pressure or thin-ideal internalization. Ballet dancers reported a higher level of athletic internalization and were more dissatisfied with their bodies than non-physically active girls. BMI emerged as the most important predictor of preadolescents' body dissatisfaction for both groups. Among non-dancers, perceived media pressure predicted body dissatisfaction both directly and indirectly via thin-ideal internalization. Among dancers, perceived media pressure predicted body dissatisfaction both directly and indirectly via athletic internalization but not via thin-ideal internalization.ConclusionsMedia influence emerged as an important predictor of body dissatisfaction for both groups, although the internalization of an athletic body ideal was more salient for the ballet dancers. These findings are noteworthy because they offer some clues for possible intervention programs aimed at promoting healthier body images in preadolescent ballet dancers and non-dancers and extend the existing literature on ballet dancers' body dissatisfaction.     

Media influence on drive for thinness,body satisfaction,and eating attitudes among young women in Hong Kong and China

The present study examined the impact of thin-ideal media exposure on Chinese women’s drive for thinness, attitudes towards body shape, and eating attitude. Women were assigned to one of two video conditions, which portrayed the thin-ideal (experimental) or was neutral (control group), in terms of content. A total of 83 young women from Hong Kong (N = 38) and Shanghai (N = 45), aged between 18 and 25 years (M_age = 22.7) participated in the study. A significant interaction was observed between the experimental video condition and location. Hong Kong women in the experimental group experienced greater levels of body dissatisfaction than Shanghai women exposed to the same condition. Exposure to thin-ideal media produced an increase in drive for thinness, body dissatisfaction and problematic eating attitudes regardless of location, with a greater immediate impact shown in Hong Kong women.     

Sociocultural pressures,thin-ideal internalization,self-objectification,and body dissatisfaction: Could feminist beliefs be a moderating factor?

Theory and research suggest that sociocultural pressures, thin-ideal internalization, and self-objectification are associated with body dissatisfaction, while feminist beliefs may serve a protective function. This research examined thin-ideal internalization and self-objectification as mediators and feminist beliefs as a moderator in the relationship between sociocultural pressures to meet the thin-ideal and body dissatisfaction. Female undergraduate volunteers (N = 195) completed self-report measures assessing sociocultural influences, feminist beliefs, thin-ideal internalization, self-objectification, and body dissatisfaction. Multisample structural equation modeling showed that feminist beliefs moderate the relationship between media awareness and thin-ideal internalization, but not the relationship between social influence and thin-ideal internalization. Research and clinical implications of these findings are discussed.     

Self-concept clarity,thin-ideal internalization,and appearance-related social comparison as predictors of body dissatisfaction

This study examined the associations among self-concept clarity, thin-ideal internalization, appearance-related social comparison tendencies, and body dissatisfaction. Female university students (N = 278) completed self-report measures of these constructs. Structural equation modeling revealed several key findings: (a) thin-ideal internalization mediated the link between appearance-related social comparison tendencies and body dissatisfaction; (b) self-concept clarity was negatively associated with both thin-ideal internalization and appearance-related social comparison tendencies; and (c) thin-ideal internalization mediated the link between self-concept clarity and body dissatisfaction. These findings suggest that low self-concept clarity might contribute to body image problems because it increases women's vulnerability to thin-ideal internalization and appearance-related social comparison tendencies.     

Examining an elaborated sociocultural model of disordered eating among college women: The roles of social comparison and body surveillance

Social comparison (i.e., body, eating, exercise) and body surveillance were tested as mediators of the thin-ideal internalization-body dissatisfaction relationship in the context of an elaborated sociocultural model of disordered eating. Participants were 219 college women who completed two questionnaire sessions 3 months apart. The cross-sectional elaborated sociocultural model (i.e., including social comparison and body surveillance as mediators of the thin-ideal internalization-body dissatisfaction relation) provided a good fit to the data, and the total indirect effect from thin-ideal internalization to body dissatisfaction through the mediators was significant. Social comparison emerged as a significant specific mediator while body surveillance did not. The mediation model did not hold prospectively; however, social comparison accounted for unique variance in body dissatisfaction and disordered eating 3 months later. Results suggest that thin-ideal internalization may not be “automatically” associated with body dissatisfaction and that it may be especially important to target comparison in prevention and intervention efforts.     

Body-image and eating disturbances prospectively predict increases in depressive symptoms in adolescent girls: a growth curve analysis

Using data from a longitudinal community study (N = 231), the authors tested whether body-image and eating disturbances might partially explain the increase in depression observed in adolescent girls. Initial pressure to be thin, thin-ideal internalization, body dissatisfaction, dieting, and bulimic symptoms, but not body mass, predicted subsequent increases in depressive symptoms, as did increases in these risk factors over the study. There was also prospective support for each of the hypothesized mediational relations linking these risk factors to increases in depressive symptoms. Effects remained significant when other established gender-nonspecific risk factors for depression (social support and emotionality) were statistically controlled. Results provide support for the assertion that body-image and eating disturbances, operating above and beyond gender-nonspecific risk factors, contribute to the elevated depression in adolescent girls.     

Predictive models for understanding body dissatisfaction among young males and females in China

The present study was designed to develop predictive models for understanding body dissatisfaction among young males and females (N=1377) in China. Six factors were assessed, including body mass index (BMI), perception of teasing, social pressure to be thin, appearance comparison, thin-ideal internalization and perceived social support. Variables were examined respectively for males and females. One SEM model, which had good fit indices, was developed for each gender. For both genders, BMI exerted its influence on body image directly and indirectly through perception of teasing. Two sources of sociocultural influence, perception of teasing and social pressure to be thin, also directly predicted body dissatisfaction. Gender differences were found in the relation between mediational mechanisms (social comparison and thin-ideal internalization) and body dissatisfaction. For females but not males, social comparison and internalization acted as weak but significant mediators between sociocultural influence and body image concerns. Implications and limitations are discussed.     

Internalization of the thin ideal among low-income ethnic minority adolescent girls

Internalization of the thin ideal has been thought to occur disproportionately among Caucasian, upper-class girls and women. The current research challenges this view by assessing thin-ideal internalization among low-income ethnic minority girls (N = 48). This research identifies differences between low-income ethnic minority adolescent girls who highly internalize the thin ideal (HI) and those who have lower internalization of thinness (LI). Results indicate that HI and LI groups do not differ based on ethnicity or weight categorization. Body satisfaction, competence, and perceived sociocultural pressure were analyzed as individual differences between HI versus LI participants. Those in the LI group have higher athletic competence and body satisfaction ratings for weight compared to the HI group. By identifying differences in thin-ideal internalization in this understudied population, factors that may protect someone from endorsing the thin ideal may be discovered.     

Validation of the German version of the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire (SATAQ-G)

The Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire (SATAQ) is widely used in the English-speaking countries as a measure of sociocultural influences on body image. Aim of this study was to provide validation data for three subscales of a boys’ and girls’ German version of the SATAQ (SATAQ-G). A sample of 819 male and 791 female Swiss adolescents completed the SATAQ-G internalization of body ideals, perceived pressure and awareness subscales. They also completed assessments of body dissatisfaction, weight and shape concerns, drive for thinness, weight and height. Factor analyses replicated the three subscales of the SATAQ for the boys’ as well as for the girls’ version. All three subscales showed good internal consistency. The internalization and pressure subscales indicated acceptable convergent validity. Awareness did not significantly predict body dissatisfaction. The SATAQ-G, particularly the subscales internalization and perceived pressure, seems to be a satisfactory measure of sociocultural influences on body image.     

Media influences on body satisfaction in female students

The present study examined the immediate impact of media portrayals on evaluations of body shape and disordered eating symptomatology in female undergraduates. By using a repeated measures design, participants (N= 42) were exposed on two consecutive occasions to magazine images representing the thin-ideal physique and overweight models. Body satisfaction was recorded both before and after exposure to the images and eating disorder symptomatology was measured following both exposures. Results showed that participants' body satisfaction scores decreased following exposure to the thin-ideal physique and increased following exposure to the larger models. When analysing eating disorder symptomatology, body dissatisfaction and drive for thinness were higher following exposure to slender media images compared to the larger media images. However, exposure to the thin-ideal physique did not increase disordered eating behaviours. These results provide evidence that one brief exposure to media images could exert immediate impact on some behaviours, attitudes and perceptions.     

Effects of parental comments on body dissatisfaction and eating disturbance in young adults: A sociocultural model

This study examined a sociocultural model of the influence of parental comments on body shape and eating concerns among males and females. Questionnaires were completed by 338 undergraduates. Participants reported levels of perceived parental comments, internalization of media ideals, appearance comparison, body dissatisfaction, drive for thinness and bulimia. Results revealed that, regardless of gender, internalization and appearance comparison only partially mediated the relationship between parental comments and the outcome variables. The final model for females explained a larger proportion of the variability in body shape and eating concerns than in males, with positive and negative parental comments directly related to body dissatisfaction and through it to eating outcomes. In males, only negative comments were directly related to body dissatisfaction. These findings highlight the role of parental influences in sociocultural models of the development of body dissatisfaction and eating concerns, and the gender-specific patterns of sociocultural influence.     

A prospective test of the dual-pathway model of bulimic pathology: mediating effects of dieting and negative affect

Because there have been few longitudinal investigations of integrative etiological theories of bulimia nervosa, this study prospectively tested the dual-pathway model using random regression growth curve models and data from a 3-wave community sample of adolescent girls (N = 231). Initial pressure to be thin and thin-ideal internalization predicted subsequent growth in body dissatisfaction, initial body dissatisfaction predicted growth in dieting and negative affect, and initial dieting and negative affect predicted growth in bulimic symptoms. There was prospective evidence for most of the hypothesized mediational effects. Results are consistent with the assertion that pressure to be thin, thin-ideal internalization, body dissatisfaction, dieting, and negative affect are risk factors for bulimic pathology and provide support for the dual-pathway model.     

Stable vs unstable weight history, body-image, and weight concern in women of average body weight

The focus of this study was the effect of unstable weight history on current body-image among women. Participants were 45 college women of average weight (median age = 23 yr.); 15 had stable weight histories, 15 had past lowest weights 15% or more below current weight, and 15 had past highest weights 15% or more above current weight. The women were assessed on perceptual and attitudinal measures of body-image and a self-report measure of preoccupation with weight. In comparison to women with stable weight histories, those with unstable weight histories indicated greater dissatisfaction with the shape and size of their bodies, expressed more negative body attitudes, and reported increased concern about weight. Women with high weight histories overestimated their frontal body-size and expressed greater dissatisfaction with frontal size than women with low weight histories, but the two groups did not differ significantly on any of the other dependent measures. Possible explanations for increased body-image disturbance and weight concern among women with unstable weight histories are presented.     

Self-esteem, social support, collectivism, and the thin-ideal in Latina undergraduates

Thin-ideal internalization (TII) reflects agreement that thinness equates with beauty. TII is a risk factor for body dissatisfaction and eating pathology; this phenomenon and its correlates, however, are just beginning to be studied in Latina undergraduates. This study examined the ability of self-esteem, social support, and collectivism to predict TII in 279 Latina undergraduates. It was hypothesized that higher levels of self-esteem, social support, and collectivism would predict lower levels of TII. Cross-sectional data were analyzed using multiple regression; the model was significant, p<.01. Although both self-esteem and social support negatively correlated with thin-ideal internalization, only self-esteem accounted for a significant amount of variance. Results indicate that investigations of self-esteem as a protective factor against TII in Latina undergraduates would be fruitful, as would how self-esteem and social support affect the relationship between TII and other variables. Implications and limitations are discussed.