体像困扰与社会文化因素

数据显示大多数人对自己的体像不满意,而对体像的不满意可能形成困扰。存在体像困扰的个体更多体验抑郁、焦虑等负面情绪,且体像困扰和进食障碍、体像障碍等精神疾病均存在密切的关系。在介绍概念的同时,本文还对体像困扰相关社会文化因素的影响进行了综述。已有研究表明女性较男性更容易受到体像困扰的影响;体像困扰存在跨文化的一致性,也存在文化差异;家庭、同伴和媒体对于体像困扰均有影响。

Body image disturbance: concept and influential factors

Body image dissatisfaction, as quantified by the distance between the ideal and real body image, contribute largely to the body image disturbance. Individuals with body image disturbance suffer from high level of depression and anxiety, as well as low self esteem. Body image disturbance is often associated with mental disorders such as eating disorders and body dysmorphic disorder, and has been considered as core symptom of these two disorders. As a result, a large proportion of study on body image disturbance focuses on diagnosed patients. However, recent studies suggested that many people among common population also suffer from body image disturbance. Thus, this issue should not be neglected due to widespread influence. Very limited studies have been carried out in mainland China. The purpose of current study is to review related findings systematically. Several interesting findings have been presented. These findings may contribute to our understanding of body image disturbance among common population and among those with related diagnosed mental disorders.First, females are more susceptible to body image disturbance than males. Several studies consistently found that only a few females are satisfied with their body image. Regretfully, most females who are not satisfied with their real body image are eager to own a slimmer shape. This trend has been observed in some males, but a substantial proportion of males also want to be stronger. This gender differences may be related to larger gender difference among subtypes of eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Additionally, Lesbian women reported lower body dissatisfaction than did heterosexual women, and gay men reported higher body dissatisfaction than did heterosexual men. Thus, researches from homosexual groups exhibited that the gender difference in body image disturbance lies in social gender but not biological sex. It seems that those who internalization the female gender suffer more than those who internalization the male gender. The influence of sociocultural environment on body image disturbance need further investigated. Second, body image disturbance occurs increasingly earlier. Traditionally it has been accepted that body image issues first appear when individuals reaching puberty. However, recent studies suggest about one fifth of first-grade pupils are not satisfied with their body image. More surprisingly, ten percent of five-years-old kindergarteners are concerning with their body images. This trend is companied by the fact that more and more young children learned the social meaning of thinness and the potential benefit of being thin. Their mothers are suspected to be the one who bypass the knowledge on body image to children by means of their own body image concerning. This finding is consistent with the fact that more and more young children are diagnosed with eating disorders such as bulimia nervosa.Third, acceptance of western culture may be a risk factor for the presence of body image disturbance. “Thin as ideal” is a key feature of western culture to define beauty. Non-western culture may play a protective role for women’s body image. For example, unlike the western women who are generally dissatisfied by their own “fat” body, Canadian aboriginal women are found to be pride of their plump body. Among Asian women, the more westernized individuals are more likely to experience the body image disturbance, while those who hold traditional culture are reported to experience less body image disturbance. Nowadays, pursuit of thinness is widespread in differential cultures. However, the prevalence of body image disturbance can to some extent be predicted by culture.Fourth, body image disturbance is influenced by family members, peers and media. A general finding is that girls are more influenced by their mother, while boys are more influenced by their father. Positive peer relationship is protective for body image satisfaction, while negative peer relationship is associated with body image dissatisfaction. Siblings play a very similar role as peers. Researches on media’s influence on body image bring us bad news. Mass media favors models with very thin body, which may leas to internalization of ideal thin body of audiences. Those who explored more on either mass media or social media also tend to experience more body image disturbance.To summarize, body image disturbance can be observed not only among those diagnosed with mental disorders but also in common populations. Females are more susceptible to body image disturbance than males. Children with younger and younger age acquired the social meaning of thinness and fatness. Western culture is a risk factor for body image satisfaction. Due to the close relationship between body image satisfaction and subjective well-being, in future studies efficient intervention is needed to be developed to cope with widespread body image dissatisfaction. Additionally, the cognitive and brain mechanism also need to be addressed in future studies.