Moving beyond the binary with disordered eating research: A test and extension of objectification theory with bisexual women.

Abstract

In predicting disordered eating, the core model of objectification theory (Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997) has been replicated and extended in research across most sexual minority groups (e.g., Haines et al., 2008; Wiseman & Moradi, 2010), but not bisexual women. The present study tested the tenets of objectification theory with a sample of 316 bisexual women and further extended this theory by examining the roles of 2 minority stressors-antibisexual discrimination and internalized biphobia-that are contextually salient for bisexual women. A latent variable structural equation model was conducted, and the model yielded a good fit to the data. Antibisexual discrimination and internalized biphobia (but not sexual objectification experiences) yielded significant unique links with internalization of sociocultural standards of attractiveness (internalization of CSA). Next, internalization of CSA yielded a significant unique link with body surveillance. In addition, antibisexual discrimination, internalization of CSA, and body surveillance yielded significant unique links with body shame. Finally, sexual objectification experiences, internalization of CSA, and body shame yielded significant unique links with eating disorder symptomatology. Beyond the direct relations, antibisexual discrimination yielded significant positive indirect links with body surveillance, body shame, and eating disorder symptoms. Internalization of CSA yielded significant positive indirect links with body shame and eating disorder symptoms. Lastly, body surveillance yielded a significant positive indirect link with eating disorder symptoms. Implications for research and practice with bisexual women are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved).