Ideal Body Image Assessment Among Japanese Women

Using the Contour Drawing Rating Scale, we examined the ideal body sizes of young Japanese women who resided in Tokyo. The results indicated that the relationship among the respondents' current, ideal, perceived male-peer, and perceived female-peer ideal body sizes were not necessarily the same across different body mass index levels. For example, the results revealed thatonly the heavier respondents seemed to consider their male-peer ideal body sizes as their own ideal body sizes. The findings also showed that although most participants wished to be slimmer, they believed that their same-sex peers wanted to be even thinner than themselves.     

Breast Size Perception and Satisfaction,Body Image,and Psychological Functioning in Caucasian and Asian American College Women

Perceived breast size, breast size satisfaction,body image (body satisfaction and generalized appearancesatisfaction) and psychological functioning(self-esteem, self-consciousness, and generalizedappearance preoccupation), as well as stereotyping ofbreast size, were examined in 166 Caucasian and AsianAmerican college women. Caucasian women reportedslightly larger perceived and ideal breast sizes, but no significant group differences for any of theother variables were found; groups were combined forsubsequent analyses. Both large and small breastednesswere associated with lower breast size satisfaction. Hierarchical regression analyses, controllingfor body size (assessed indirectly by a weightpreoccupation measure) and including the interaction ofperceived breast size and breast size satisfaction,yielded main effects for weight preoccupation,perceived breast size, and satisfaction with breastsize, but no interactions. Over and above the effect ofweight preoccupation, smaller perceived breast size was associated with lower breast size satisfactionand with more positive body image, while larger size wasassociated with higher breast size satisfaction and withless positive body image. Lower self-esteem was associated with lower breast sizesatisfaction but not with perceived breast size, whilehigher public self-consciousness, social anxiety, andappearance preoccupation were associated with a mismatch between ideal and perceived size, regardless ofwhether ideal size was smaller or larger than perceivedsize. Implications of these findings are discussedwithin the broader cultural context.     

Body Appraisal,Weight Management Goals,and Well-Being Among Midlife Men and Women

In this paper, we assess the extent to which subjective and objective body appraisals relate to weight management goals and ultimately to life satisfaction in midlife men and women. The sample consisted of 141 midlife men and women (aged 55–59) from the Foley Longitudinal Study of Adulthood. We used both logistic and hierarchical linear regressions to examine relationships among and between variables. Both men and women expressed similar levels of body appraisal, and similar weight management goals; lower body appraisal and the presence of a weight management goal were both related to lower well-being. This study suggests that subjective and objective body appraisals may motivate the setting of weight management goals, and are significant contributors to well-being in midlife. Results are discussed in the context of aging, as well as gender.     

What I Look Like: College Women, Body Image, and Spirituality

Despite public acknowledgment of the importance of spiritual development, little has been written globally on female young adults’ personal views of their spiritual values and body image. This article briefly presents the findings of a pilot study that explored female college students’ reflections on body image and spirituality. Responses from participants showed that (1) many students are interested in faith and spiritual development; (2) body dissatisfaction affects those women who viewed themselves as spiritual (92%) as well as those who said they were free thinkers (49%). Nevertheless, religion and spiritual values seemed to confer some behavioral protection. Implications for educational programs that will address the spiritual dimension of learning are discussed.     

Treatment of Body Image Dissatisfaction Among Women With Bulimia Nervosa

Body image dissatisfaction contributes to the development and maintenance of bulimia nervosa. Many women with bulimia are unhappy with their body's appearance and yearn to attain the thin shape glamorized by our culture. This obsession breeds low self-esteem, feelings of inadequacy, and resistance to recovery from bulimia. This article offers treatment suggestions for body image dissatisfaction as it relates to bulimia. Counselors must be comfortable with their own bodies and must be cognizant of sociocultural dictates demanding a thin body for women.     

A Body Image Resilience Model for First-Year College Women

The purpose of this study was to investigate Choate’s (2005) theoretical model of body image resilience by examining the association among protective factors and body image. First-year college women (N?=?301) from two universities in the United States (one in the South and one in the Northeast) completed questionnaires assessing five protective factors. The hypothesized model fit the data well. As predicted, high family support; low levels of perceived sociocultural pressure from family, friends, and media regarding the importance of achieving a thin-and beautiful ideal; rejection of the superwoman ideal; positive physical self-concept; and active coping skills contributed to a woman’s overall wellness, which was associated with a more positive body image. Results can inform prevention for young women at risk for eating disorders and suggest specific counseling interventions to improve body dissatisfaction and initial maladaptive eating practices.     

Spirituality Among College Freshmen: Relationships to Self‐Esteem,Body Image,and Stress

The authors investigated the relationships between spirituality, body image, self‐esteem, and stress in 204 college freshmen who identified themselves as being highly spiritual. A positive relationship was found between spirituality and self‐esteem. Although self‐esteem was found to be negatively related to stress, spirituality served as a buffer in this relationship. When gender of participants was examined, men and women did not differ in spirituality. Greater spirituality was related to lower body surveillance, an aspect of body image, for men, but it was not related to body image for women. Overall, however, women experienced greater body image dissatisfaction than did men.     

Beyond Body Size: Focusing on Body Functionality to Improve Body Image Among Women Who Have Undergone Bariatric Surgery

This study investigated a novel technique to improve body image among women who have undergone bariatric surgery—namely, by having them focus on their body functionality (everything the body can do, rather than how it looks). Participants were 103 women (M_age = 46.61) who had undergone bariatric surgery 5–7 months prior to the study. They were randomized to the 1-week online intervention, comprising three functionality-focused writing exercises (Expand Your Horizon; Alleva et al., 2015), or to a wait-list control group. Body appreciation, appearance and functionality satisfaction, body awareness, self-objectification, self-esteem, and self-kindness were assessed at pretest, posttest, and at 1-week and 3-month follow-up. Multilevel modeling analyses showed that, compared to the control, the intervention group experienced improved body appreciation at posttest, and these improvements persisted at both follow-ups. These findings were nonsignificant when intent-to-treat analyses were performed. Both available case and intent-to-treat analyses showed that all participants experienced improvements in facets of body image across time. Qualitative analyses of participants’ responses to the intervention writing exercises provided more insight. Via coding reliability thematic analysis, we identified 11 themes that together provide evidence that intervention participants experienced facets of a more positive body image, while also facing challenges to their body image and well-being. Together, findings suggest that focusing on body functionality may contribute to improved body image among women who have undergone bariatric surgery, but effects may be nuanced compared to prior functionality research among general samples of women. The study was registered retrospectively (ClinicalTrials.gov; identifier NCT04883268).     

Weighing the Evidence: Social Desirability, Eating Disorder Symptomatology, and Accuracy of Self-reported Body Weight Among Men and Women

Although self-reported measurement of body weight is commonly accepted practice, this method may yield inaccurate estimates varying by respondent gender, body mass index, and eating disorder symptomatology. Given the gendered nature of idealized body weight in the U.S., we examined whether or not these variables and positive impression management are associated with inaccurate weight reporting among undergraduates. College women (n?=?107) and men (n?=?48) from a small liberal arts school in the Northeastern U.S. self-reported height and weight, completed the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire, Personality Assessment Inventory-Positive Impression Management scale, and three scales from the Eating Disorder Inventory-3, and were then weighed. Paired t-tests compared self-reported and measured body weight for men and women separately, and respondents were then categorized as under- or over-reporters by gender. Independent samples t-tests were conducted separately for men and women comparing weight under- and over-reporters on BMI, levels of eating disorder symptomatology, and social desirability. Results indicate discrepancies between self-reported and measured body weight were significant. Among those who over-reported weight, men exhibited greater over-reporting than did women. Weight under-reporting was associated with higher BMI, and for women, lower eating disorder symptomatology and higher social desirability scores. There may be inaccuracies in self-reported weight based on positive impression management, BMI, and eating disorder symptomatology, but these appear to differ by gender. Future research should explore the roles of personality, social desirability, and competing pressures for muscularity versus thinness in weight reporting accuracy among men and women.     

Weighing Weight: Trends in Body Weight Evaluation Among Young Adults, 1990 and 2005

Given the rising prevalence of overweight and sociocultural portrayal of increasingly thin female body ideals and muscular/lean male body ideals, we examined trends in body weight evaluation using two cross-sectional surveys of US undergraduates in 1990 (n?=?794) and 2005 (n?=?794). Trends in body weight evaluation variables were examined and compared to respondents’ current body mass index. Results suggest men are increasingly evaluating their weight in a manner reflective of heavier, more muscular societal body ideals. Women are becoming increasingly accurate in evaluating their weight and perception of being overweight is declining. However, the high, stable prevalence of potentially inappropriate weight management behavior among both genders suggests the influence of societal body ideals on behavior remains strong.     

女大学生体重知觉偏差及探因

以女性身体图形评定量表PFRS (the female Photographic Figure Rating Scale)作为刺激材料, 研究女大学生体重自我知觉与偏差, 以及女大学生对他人的体重知觉与偏差, 引入男性视角作为体重社会标准, 研究女大学生体重社会知觉与偏差。研究中要求女大学生选择准确代表自己胖瘦的图像, 选择自己理想胖瘦的图像, 选择他人眼里最有吸引力的图像, 估计PFRS真人照片图像体重值(假定图像中人物和自己身高相同), 并报告自己的实际体重和理想体重。研究要求男大学生选择最有吸引力的图像。在此基础上提出3种模型假设：镜像模型、泛化模型和相关模型, 进一步探索女大学生体重知觉偏差的原因。研究表明：女大学生体重自我知觉高估了对应真人图像的BMI; 女大学生对其他女性BMI知觉, 倾向于高估体重正常和偏瘦女性的BMI, 低估偏胖和肥胖女性的BMI; 女大学生体重的主观社会压力高于体重的实际社会压力, 对体重社会压力存在过度解读的倾向。女大学生对他人体重知觉偏差更有可能影响其体重自我知觉偏差; 认知评价不是造成女大学生知觉偏差的重要因素, 但两者关系需要进一步实证。     

Body Dissatisfaction,Need for Social Approval,and Eating Disturbances Among Japanese and American College Women

A total of 171 Japanese and 144 American collegewomen (90% European American, 4% African American, 4%Asian or Asian American, and 2% other) completed theEating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), the Body Dissatisfaction Subscale of the Eating Disorder Inventory(EDI), and the Revised Martin-Larsen Approval MotivationScale (MLAM). Japanese women expressed the greaterdissatisfaction with their body but no more eatingdisturbances than American women. The need for socialapproval predicted the Japanese women's eatingdisturbances after controlling for the effects of bodyfatness (BMI) and body dissatisfaction. BMI was asignificant predictor of eating disturbances for Americanwomen but not for Japanese women. The results werediscussed in terms of their implications forcross-cultural similarities and differences incorrelates of disordered eating.     

Body Covering and Body Image: A Comparison of Veiled and Unveiled Muslim Women,Christian Women,and Atheist Women Regarding Body Checking,Body Dissatisfaction,and Eating Disorder Symptoms

Although Islam is the fastest growing religion worldwide, only few studies have investigated body image in Muslim women, and no study has investigated body checking. Therefore, the present study examined whether body image, body checking, and disordered eating differ between veiled and unveiled Muslim women, Christian women, and atheist women. While the groups did not differ regarding body dissatisfaction, unveiled Muslim women reported more checking than veiled Muslim and Christian women, and higher bulimia scores than Christian. Thus, prevention against eating disorders should integrate all women, irrespective of religious affiliation or veiling, with a particular focus on unveiled Muslim women.     

Risk Factors for Alcoholism Among Women Religious: Affect Regulation

Risk factors for addiction have received extensive empirical attention. Specific risk factors for women Religious (nuns), however, are not well known. This report examines risk factors for alcoholism in a retrospective study of 148 chemically dependent women Religious in treatment. Negative emotionality, a personality measure, was the only significant predictor of alcoholism severity in a joint multiple regression with childhood trauma, parental alcoholism, mental health history, ego strength, and self esteem. These findings imply that treatment of this group in chemical-dependency programs needs to include psychological modalities beyond the traditional psychoeducation in order to adequately address difficulties in affect regulation.     

Psychological Separation,Self-Control,and Weight Preoccupation Among Elite Women Athletes

Given the paucity of research on the prevalence of eating disorders in college athletes, the authors raised two questions: (a) Is weight preoccupation more prevalent among elite women athletes than among their nonathletic counterparts? (b) Does the empirical link between psychological distress and weight preoccupation pertain to elite athletes as well? Results showed that 10.9% of a sample of elite swimmers could be characterized as “weight preoccupied,” a percentage comparable to the general population of college women. In addition, the athletes reported using significantly more benign than punitive self-control strategies, suggesting for them, weight preoccupation is a means to an end rather than an indication of an eating disorder. Implications for counseling are discussed.     

Exposure to Media Images of Female Attractiveness and Concern with Body Weight Among Young Women1

Despite the popular belief that the thinstandard of female attractiveness currently presented inthe media is a primary contributor to the high level ofconcern with body weight among women, experimental studies have not shown that exposure to mediaimages increases women's weight concern. Threeexperiments are reported demonstrating that exposure tomedia images does often result in increased weightconcern among women, but that body dissatisfaction, astable personality characteristic, is a moderator ofvulnerability to this effect. Although most womenreported higher weight concern when exposed to media vs. neutral images, women with low initial bodydissatisfaction did not. In addition, this researchsuggests that negative effects on weight concern mayresult from even passive exposure to media images, but that exposure to realistic attractivenessis less likely to cause increased weight concern. Theethnicity of the participants in these studies reflectedthat of the local population, with over 90% white. The nonwhite participants primarily belonged toone of the following groups; Asian, Pacific Islander,Latino.     

Affect and Cognition

ABSTRACT— One of the greatest puzzles of human nature concerns the poorly understood interplay between affect and cognition—the rational and emotional ways of dealing with the social world around us. Affect is a ubiquitous and powerful phenomenon in our lives, yet research on human affectivity has been neglected until quite recently. This article reviews traditional and contemporary approaches to this issue, and recent theoretical and empirical work exploring the links between affect and cognition is considered. The major achievements and shortcomings of this now-thriving research area are discussed, and the future prospects of psychological research on human affectivity are considered.     

Racial Identity and Body Image Among Black Female College Students Attending Predominately White Colleges

This study examined attitudes about body image and racial identity among Black women at a predominately White college in the United States. We conducted in-depth qualitative interviews with 34 women about their school experiences, family, racial identity, self-esteem, and body image. We found that early childhood influences including family and school environment had profound impacts on their racial identity and body image. Through a qualitative analysis based in grounded theory, we found that participants’ identification with White and/or Black culture produced levels of body satisfaction and a set of beauty ideals that generally corresponded to four racial identity groups: identification with White or Black culture, floating between both, or having a diverse self-identity.     

Religion and Body Weight Among African-American Adults Attempting to Lose Weight: An Exploratory Study

Religion and body weight was explored at two time points among overweight and obese African-American adults. Baseline and follow-up data were collected from 26 adults participating in a weight loss intervention and analyzed using multiple regression analyses of religious measures, body weight, and other variables. Frequent church attendance was significantly associated with greater weight lost from baseline to 16-week follow-up. In this exploratory study, religious interactions and experiences may be involved in shaping body weight among African-Americans attempting to lose weight.

     

Preliminary development of the Body Image Affect Scale

A new body-image questionnaire was developed to measure the affect associated with a negative body image. Responses showed a Cronbach coefficient alpha of .84 and a negative correlation of -.21 with using humor in times of stress.