Body image dissatisfaction and eating disorder symptomatology: a latent structural equation modeling examination of moderators among adolescent girls

Introduction According to meta-analytic review, body dissatisfaction (BD) is recognized as the strongest risk factor of all forms of eating disorders (EDs).Yet, it has been found that BD is so prevalent among adolescent girls and young adult women that it is “normative”. The present study investigates why only a minority of adolescents girls report severe levels of ED symptomatology, when so many are body dissatisfied? Aims Five theoretically relevant variables are investigated as potential moderators of the BD-ED symptomatology relationship (drive for thinness and bulimic behaviours). Methods A sample of 401 Italian adolescent girls completed questionnaire measures of BD, drive for thinness, bulimic behaviours, as well as the proposed moderating variables of body checking, perfectionism, appearance control beliefs, internalization of socio-cultural standards of beauty, and self-esteem. Results Structural equation modeling with latent factor interactions indicated that body checking, perfectionism, appearance control beliefs and internalization of socio-cultural standards of beauty intensified the primary BD-ED symptomatology, such that BD was strongly related to drive for thinness and bulimic behaviours when levels of each moderator were higher. By contrast self-esteem buffered the deleterious effects of BD, such that when levels of the moderator were higher, the relationship between BD and each criterion variable representing female's ED symptomatology was weaker

Why Do Only a Minority of Men Report Severe Levels of Eating Disorder Symptomatology, When so Many Report Substantial Body Dissatisfaction? Examination of Exacerbating Factors

In recent years research employing female samples has indicated that although body dissatisfaction may be necessary for the onset of an eating disorder, it is not sufficient. This study examined body surveillance and difficulties in interpersonal domains (attachment anxiety and social anxiety) as potential moderators of the body dissatisfaction-eating disorder symptomatology relationship amongst Italian college men (N = 359). As expected, all examined variables were found to intensify this relationship such that body dissatisfaction was strongly related to men's eating disorder symptomatology when each moderator was at its highest level (i.e., 1 SD above the mean). Practical implications are discusse

Disordini alimentari maschili e orientamento sessuale: disamina della teoria dell’oggettivazione sessuale

Introduzione: La letteratura segnala che gli uomini omosessuali riportano livelli maggiori d’insoddisfazione corporea e disordini alimentari (DA) rispetto alla controparte eterosessuale, e comparabili con quelli riportati dalle donne. Secondo gli studiosi questo è probabilmente dovuto al fatto che i gay e le donne sono maggiormente predisposti ad auto-oggettivarsi, ovvero a vedere i loro copri come oggetti sessuali al fine di attirare l’attenzione di altri maschi e attrarli come potenziali partner. Lo studio esamina la teoria dell’oggettivazione (TO) come un framework idoneo per esplorare i potenziali meccanismi sottostanti che portano i gay a riportare elevati livelli di DA. Metodi: 313 maschi (51% eterosessuali; 49% gay; Metà=21.2) hanno compilato una batteria di questionari finalizzata alla rilevazione delle variabili di interesse. Risultati: Per i gay l’interiorizzazione degli standard socioculturali di bellezza conduce all’auto-oggettivazione, aumentando così l’ansia sociale e la vergogna per l’aspetto, che a loro volta sono collegate all’insorgenza di DA. Gli stessi risultati (seppur più deboli) sono emersi tra gli eterosessuali. I gay hanno ottenuto punteggi medi significativamente superiori in tutte le variabili esaminate e comparabili con quelli ottenuti in un campione italiano di donne. Differenze di orientamento sessuale sono emerse anche nel ruolo di vergogna e ansia sociale come variabili mediatrici. Conclusioni: La TO rappresenta un framework teorico utile per esaminare e comprendere le differenze di orientamento sessuale rispetto ai DA maschili

Prospective examination of the transdiagnostic cognitive behavioural model of eating disorders among adolescent boys and girls: A latent structural equation modeling (SEM) approach.

Introduction: The Transdiagnostic Model (TM) of eating disorders (EDs) was developed in order to a) recognize the common features of all EDs and b) expand the explanatory power of the previous cognitive behavioural conceptualization of EDs by including four additional mechanisms (i.e., clinical perfectionism, low self-esteem, mood intolerance and interpersonal difficulties), that may contribute to develop and/or maintain ED symptoms. This study aimed at examining for the first time a) the validity of the TM amongst adolescents, using perspective data and b) potential gender differences between the four additional variables (Baseline/Time1), concerns about shape/ weight (Time2), and ED symptomatology (Time 3). Methods: Participants were 322 Italian adolescents (Mage at T1= 14.6; 46 % boys), examined through semi-structured clinical interviews and self-reported measures annually over a 2-year period. BMI and previous levels of the Time2 and Time3 variables under investigation were examined within SEM analyses. Results: Both the measurement and the structural model fitted the data well. As no differences in the structural path coefficients between boys and girls were observed, the results of the entire sample are described. Interpersonal difficulties were directly linked to core low self-esteem. Clinical perfectionism, low self-esteem, and interpersonal difficulties indirectly impacted restriction through concerns about shape and weight, whereas mood intolerance was the only variable directly linked to binge eating and compensatory behaviours. Surprisingly, there was no direct relationship between restriction and binge eating. Conclusions: The prospective validity of the TM is partially supported. In line with previous studies, our findings suggest that a) males and females are more similar than dissimilar in terms of core eating disordered behaviours, b) factors other than dietary restriction may play a critical role in the development of binge eating and c) binge eating may serve an emotion regulation function

Body Dissatisfaction and Eating Disorder Symptomatology: A Latent Structural Equation Modeling Analysis of Moderating Variables in 18-to-28-Year-Old Males

Although body dissatisfaction is recognized as the strongest risk factor for eating disturbances, a majority of young males are body dissatisfied, but do not concomitantly report severe levels of eating disorder symptomatology. The present investigation was designed to examine five theoretically relevant variables (i.e., body checking, emotional dysregulation, perfectionism, insecure-anxious attachment, and self-esteem) as potential moderators of the relationship between body dissatisfaction and two critical components of male eating disorder symptomatology: drive for muscularity and bulimic behaviors. Data collected from 551 Italian males between 18 and 28 years old were analyzed using latent structural equation modeling. The authors found that emotional dysregulation, body checking, insecure-anxious attachment and perfectionism intensified the relationship between body dissatisfaction and each criterion variable representing male eating disorder symptomatology; the interactions accounted respectively for an additional 2%, 7%, 4% and 5% of variance in drive for muscularity and for an additional 6%, 4%, 5%, and 2% of the variance in bulimic behaviors. By contrast self-esteem weakened this relationship and the interactions accounted for an additional 3% of the variance in both drive for muscularity and bulimic behaviors. Implications of these findings for prevention and treatment of male eating disturbances are discuss