5 research outputs found
The Association Between Body Image Dissatisfaction and Mental Health in Men
The objective of my dissertation was to contribute to the understanding of body image dissatisfaction in men. Study 1 was a systematic review of the literature from the past decade, focusing on studies which examined the association between body image and mental health, specifically depression, anxiety, and self-esteem, in men. The results and methodology of the reviewed studies were highly heterogeneous. There were more than 55 different measures of body image utilized, which could generally be classified as thinness-oriented, muscularity-oriented, or general measures of body image satisfaction. The associations between body image and mental health were highly heterogeneous, and differed based on measurement type and sample characteristics, including sexual orientation and age-range of the sample. Study 2 expanded on these findings to improve understanding of the extent to which the type of BID assessed impacts the relationship between body image and mental health in men, and whether these potential differences differ based on sexual orientation and age. A Qualtrics survey was administered to 325 gay and 325 straight men between the ages of 18 and 91 (M = 47.74, SD = 17.59). Data was analyzed using a multiple group path analysis with drive for thinness, drive for muscularity, and body appreciation predicting anxiety, depression, and self-esteem, with age moderating these associations. The results indicated that all three measures of BID are important predictors of mental health in straight men, but only body appreciation is associated with mental health in gay men. Age appeared to have a moderating effect on only select associations between body image and mental health in the present study. This study highlights the importance of considering type of body image assessed and sexual orientation important factors when examining concepts related to body image and eating disorders in future research
Validation of the Spanish version of the body image acceptance and action questionnaire (BI-AAQ-Spanish): Measurement invariance across cultures.
The purpose of this study was to assess the psychometric properties of a Spanish version of the Body Image Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (BI-AAQ) and its recently developed 5-item version, the BI-AAQ-5. The BI-AAQ measures psychological flexibility/inflexibility regarding body image. A sample of Spanish adults (n = 938) completed the BI-AAQ and a battery of measures (including body mass index, psychological flexibility, exposure to and internalization of sociocultural body image expectations, body dissatisfaction, and eating disorder symptoms). Measurement invariance was tested against a U.S. American adult sample (n = 866) that completed the English version of the BI-AAQ. The unidimensional factor structure of the BI-AAQ and BI-AAQ-5 was replicated in both samples using confirmatory factor analysis, with model fit indexes ranging from adequate (e.g., CFI = 0.95) to excellent (e.g., CFI = 0.99). Internal consistency was good for both instruments across samples (α = 0.90 to 0.97). Measurement invariance analyses confirmed full configural and metric invariance and scalar partial invariance. The Spanish BI-AAQ and BI-AAQ-5 showed clear evidence of convergent and incremental construct validity. Both instruments’ scores correlated substantively with theoretically related variables. In addition, the results of a conditional process analysis showed that body-image psychological flexibility measured with either instrument moderated the mediated effect of pressure to conform to cultural ideals of body image on disordered eating through internalization of body image ideals and body dissatisfaction. We concluded both instruments are likely suitable for conducting cross-cultural research with Spanish and English-speaking samples.Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Jaén
Body Mass Index and Nationality (Argentine vs. Spanish) Moderate the Relationship Between Internalization of the Thin Ideal and Body Dissatisfaction: A Conditional Mediation Model
It is believed that Women’s exposure to Western sociocultural pressures to attain a “thin-ideal” results in the internalization of a desire to be thin that consequently leads to body dissatisfaction (BD). It is also well documented that body mass index (BMI; kg/m2) correlates with BD. We tested for the first time a conditional mediation model where thin-ideal Awareness predicted BD through Internalization of the thin ideal and the path from Internalization to BD was hypothesized to be moderated by BMI and Nationality (Argentine vs. Spanish). The model was tested with a sample of 499 young women (age = 18 to 29) from Argentina (n = 290) and Spain (n = 209). Awareness and internalization were measured with the SATAQ-4 (Schaefer et al., 2015) and BD was measured with the BSQ (Cooper et al., 1987). The model was analyzed using PROCESSv3.1 (Hayes, 2018). As hypothesized, thin-ideal awareness predicted BD through internalization and the path from internalization to BD was moderated by BMI and nationality. Specifically, internalization predicted BD at all level of BMI and in both samples, but the relationship between internalization and BD increased with BMI and was also stronger among Spaniards than Argentines. We argue that the findings are congruent with theories that predict that economic development and modernization contribute to normative female BD through internalization of the thin ideal and that upward social comparisons or cognitive discrepancy between self-perceived body image and the sociocultural thin ideal interacts synergistically with thin-ideal internalization to increase BD
Exploring Weight Control Expectancies as a Mediator of the Relationship Between Fear of Fat and Nicotine Dependence in Smokers and Vapers
Specific drug-use expectancies are shaped by reports from others about the effects of the drug, by an individual’s own experience with the drug, or by both. The present study hypothesized that, among smokers and e-cigarette users (vapers), an individual’s fear of weight gain would be associated with higher endorsement of appetite and weight control expectancies from nicotine use, which in turn would be associated with self-reported levels of nicotine dependence. The participants were smokers (n = 514) and vapers (n = 412) who responded to a Qualtrics survey advertised via Amazon’s Mechanical Turk platform. As predicted, nicotine’s appetite and weight control expectancies mediated the correlation between fear of gaining weight and nicotine dependence among both smokers and vapers. Exploratory analyses further revealed that smokers who did not vape reported lower nicotine expectancies and nicotine dependence than smokers who also used e-cigarettes. Likewise, exclusive vapers reported lower nicotine expectancies and nicotine dependence than vapers who also smoked cigarettes. Overall, participants classified as primarily smokers reported higher levels of nicotine-outcome expectancies and nicotine dependence than participants classified as primarily vapers. Although the study is cross-sectional, the findings are nonetheless congruent with the hypothesis that weight and body image concerns may facilitate the internalization of appetite and weight control nicotine expectancies and, thus, increase the risk for nicotine dependence
Honest Placebo Effects on Food Cravings Following a 12-Hour, Overnight Fasting Period
A new line of products sold as “honest placebos” are advertised as effective for the reduction of symptoms of distress, and for wellbeing enhancement. The present study sought to scientifically examine whether a commercially available honest placebo could reduce hunger and food cravings. Using information made available by the vendor in their marketing pitch, participants received a brief presentation on why and how placebos may help reduce food cravings and hunger. They then were instructed to fast for 12-h and return to the lab for a series of tests and to have breakfast. Participants were given five honest-placebo pills and instructed to take one immediately, one right before their bed time, and one when they woke in the morning. They were also told they could take the remaining two pills as needed to reduce hunger. Upon returning to the lab in the morning, participants were randomly assigned to complete the Food Cravings Questionnaire-State either before or after breakfast. The study also included a non-placebo control group. We hypothesized that participants in the placebo group would report lower food cravings before breakfast than participants in the non-placebo group.
*Data collection complete, analysis in progres