Masculinity and femininity in the divergence of male body image concerns.

Stuart B Murray,Lisa Karlov,Elizabeth Rieger,Stephen W Touyz

doi:10.1186/2050-2974-1-11

Stuart B Murray, Lisa Karlov + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/2050-2974-1-11

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Abstract

BackgroundGiven recent assertions suggesting that gender role endorsement may be relevant in the divergence of male body image concerns, this study examined the self-reported gender role endorsement in opposing dimensional extremes of male body image disorders, namely, muscle dysmorphia and anorexia nervosa. This study further examined the relationship between gender role endorsement and eating disordered and muscle dysmorphia disorder pathology.MethodologyParticipants were 21 male muscle dysmorphia patients, 24 male anorexia nervosa patients, and 30 male gym-using controls from Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. All participants completed multidimensional measures of masculinity and femininity, and measures of eating disorder and muscle dysmorphia symptomatology.ResultsPatients with muscle dysmorphia reported significantly elevated adherence to masculine (but not feminine) norms relative to control gym-using men and men with anorexia nervosa, whereas patients with anorexia nervosa exhibited elevated feminine (but not masculine) gender role endorsement relative to control gym-using men and men with muscle dysmorphia.ConclusionsMasculine and feminine gender role endorsement appear to be associated with the divergence of body image concerns towards muscularity and thinness-oriented ideals respectively.

Highlights

Given recent assertions suggesting that gender role endorsement may be relevant in the divergence of male body image concerns, this study examined the self-reported gender role endorsement in opposing dimensional extremes of male body image disorders, namely, muscle dysmorphia and anorexia nervosa
Masculine and feminine gender role endorsement appear to be associated with the divergence of body image concerns towards muscularity and thinness-oriented ideals respectively
* Correspondence: drstuartmurray@gmail.com 1The Redleaf Practice, 5 Redleaf Ave, Wahroonga, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia Full list of author information is available at the end of the article. This increasingly reported body dissatisfaction amongst males is said to facilitate the development of both anorexia nervosa [7] and muscle dysmorphia [8], which are two opposing dimensional extremes of body image psychopathology amongst males characterised by a pathological drive for thinness and muscularity respectively

Summary

Introduction

Given recent assertions suggesting that gender role endorsement may be relevant in the divergence of male body image concerns, this study examined the self-reported gender role endorsement in opposing dimensional extremes of male body image disorders, namely, muscle dysmorphia and anorexia nervosa. Many men report a preference for a more muscular physique, which is consistent with the male body ideal frequently portrayed in contemporary Western media [4], a smaller proportion of body dissatisfied men desire weight loss and reduced overall body mass [5,6]. This increasingly reported body dissatisfaction amongst males is said to facilitate the development of both anorexia nervosa [7] and muscle dysmorphia [8], which are two opposing dimensional extremes of body image psychopathology amongst males characterised by a pathological drive for thinness and muscularity respectively. Sexual orientation may not entirely account for the directional divergence of body image psychopathology amongst body-dissatisfied males

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