Abstract
BackgroundBody image and disordered eating research has focused mostly on the female experience. The present study examined gender differences in the relationship between personality, disordered eating, and body image dissatisfaction.MethodsParticipants were 238 female and 85 male undergraduates (Mage = 20.52 years, SD = 4.22) at a Canadian university. Materials included a battery of self-report questionnaires pertaining to personality, body image, and disordered eating.ResultsAs expected, females reported more body dissatisfaction and disordered eating than males. Personality factors were found to be significantly related to the experience of body dissatisfaction in both genders. Further, several personality traits significantly contributed to the prediction of male (high Neuroticism, low Conscientiousness) and female (high Neuroticism) body dissatisfaction beyond the influence of body mass index (BMI). Interestingly, and contrary to findings with female participants, personality traits were not significantly related to disordered eating scores in men. Among women, disordered eating scores were significantly predicted by high Neuroticism and Extraversion, and low Conscientiousness.ConclusionsAlthough the relationship between disordered eating, body image dissatisfaction, and personality is well-documented in females, this relation may differ for males. The focus on male body image has been increasing in Western society; exploring how males view their bodies may be beneficial to researchers and clinicians alike.
Highlights
Body image and disordered eating research has focused mostly on the female experience
Disordered eating and body image research has been conducted with populations of young females; more studies that concentrate on both male and female experiences of body dissatisfaction and disordered eating attitudes and behaviours are needed
Several of our findings were consistent with those reported in previous studies: women reported higher levels of body dissatisfaction and disordered eating behaviours compared to men; and, personality traits were related to the experience of body dissatisfaction in both genders
Summary
Body image and disordered eating research has focused mostly on the female experience. The present study examined gender differences in the relationship between personality, disordered eating, and body image dissatisfaction. For women in particular, disordered eating behaviours have become so common in Western society that dieting is widely considered normal [13] Given their pervasiveness in Western society, researchers have investigated various psychological correlates of body dissatisfaction and disordered eating in an attempt to elucidate their etiology. Gender differences have received less attention; gender differences among these relationships may indicate that male and female experiences of body dissatisfaction and disordered eating differ in important, clinically relevant ways. The current study aimed to elucidate potential gender differences in the relationship between body dissatisfaction, disordered eating, and the five-factor model (FFM) of personality in a sample of Canadian undergraduate students. This study is one of the few that examines the influence of personality after controlling for body mass index (BMI) in a sample of male participants
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