Appearance-contingent Self-worth Research Articles

Bidirectional associations between online and offline appearance concerns during early-to-middle adolescence.

During early and middle adolescence, individuals are at heightened risk of poor body image and subsequent negative mental health outcomes, and the highly visual nature of social media may play a role in this process. It remains unclear, however, if appearance preoccupation on social media-such as appearance-related social media consciousness (ASMC)-influences offline body image, or if preexisting body image concerns influence online appearance preoccupation. The present study investigated between-person differences and potential bidirectional within-person associations in these experiences among eighth grade adolescents in the United States (n = 1,582; ages 11-15 years old; Mage = 13; 47.5% girls, 45.9% boys, 6.5% another gender identity; 37% Latine, 32% White, 18% Black, 7% Asian, 6% another racial/ethnic identity). Participants completed a longitudinal study over three waves within one academic year. Results indicated that within-person increases in ASMC preceded within-person increases in appearance-contingent self-worth and were bidirectionally associated with worse appearance esteem, with no differences in these associations by gender. Among girls only, self-objectification was associated with subsequent within-person increases in ASMC, but not vice versa. Findings indicate that online appearance preoccupation may influence and be reinforced by general body image concerns. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Apakah Welas Diri dan Keberhargaan Diri Kontinjen Berperan dalam Kinerja Akademik pada Remaja?

Academic performance is a learning result that is measured by examination score. A few studies show that Academic Performance is influenced by contingent self-worth. But there is no study that examines if academic performance can be influenced by self-compassion and appearance contingent self-worth. Self-compassion directly influences someone’s ability to evaluate themselves. Appearance contingent self-worth is when someone puts their self-worth in their appearance. This study is conducted to examine the influence of self-compassion and appearance contingent self-worth toward academic performance of junior high school and senior high school students in X school located at North Jakarta. This study uses quantitative methods. Participants were 115 students aged 12 to 18 Junior High School and Senior High School students. Data was collected by questionnaire and examination score. Data collection for variables of academic performance is by math final exam score. Data collection techniques for variables of self-compassion and self-worth contingent on the perception of appearance is a questionnaire whose details are based on self-worth scale and self-compassion scale. The scale used in this study uses a rating scale that is Likert. The result of this study is that self-compassion and appearance contingent self-worth influence academic performance by 7.8%. This research found that self-compassion has positive and significant influence to academic performance. Appearance contingent self-worth has negative and significant influence to academic performance. The next research might include students' perfectionist tendencies and its influences to academic performance.

A correlational study to assess the relationship between body image, appearance contingent self-worth, and self-compassion among youth of Karnataka

BackgroundBody-image is defined as “a stable, complex, mental representation of our body and its emotional experience”. Negative perception concerning one's own body is associated with several mental disorders like stress related to the body, binge eating disorder, or social anxiety disorder in a normal healthy person. ObjectivesThis paper aims to assess the body-image appearance contingent self-worth, and self-compassion, and to determine the correlation between the body-image, appearance contingent self-worth, and self-compassion. MethodsA descriptive correlational study was conducted among 478 youth (18–24years) studying in selected colleges of Udupi, Karnataka using socio-demographic proforma, Perception of body-image, Neff's self-compassion scale, and Contingencies of self-worth scale. ResultsThe mean body-image score among Youth was 126.11 ± 25.37, whereas the mean appearance contingent self-worth and self-compassion scores were 155.38 ± 23.809 and 52.14 ± 6.938 respectively. The main variables' linear correlations were evaluated using Spearman's rank correlation. There was a weak positive relationship between body-image and self-compassion, i.e., (r = .253, p = .001), body-image and appearance contingent self-worth, (r = 0.091, p = .047), and appearance contingent self-worth and self-compassion (r = 0.093, p = .042). ConclusionThe current study revealed a significant correlation between body-image, appearance contingent self-worth, and self-compassion. The youths should routinely be evaluated for body-image dissatisfaction. Rising appearance contingent self-worth and providing intervention to improve self-compassion helps the individual to accept themselves and improve body-image satisfaction.

Is There a Bidirectional Relationship Between Appearance-Based Rejection Sensitivity and Materialism in Early Adults?

Abstract Appearance-based rejection sensitivity (A-RS) is closely related to materialism. However, there is no research focusing on the bidirectional relationship between them. With the tracking data at 2 points of time, this study investigated whether this bidirectional relationship exists longitudinally, within which potential mediation (appearance-based social comparison) and moderation (appearance-contingent self-worth, A-CSW) mechanisms were also examined. Data in 2 samples of college students (Sample 1 with cross-sectional data, N = 875; Sample 2 with tracking data, N = 130) were collected. Results indicated a bidirectional relation between A-RS and materialism at the same point in time. Time 1 A-RS showed a marginally significant association with Time 2 materialism. As for the underlying mechanism and individual difference, cross-sectionally, the appearance-based social comparison was found to partially mediate the contribution of A-RS to materialism; this mediation also worked in the contribution of materialism to A-RS. Longitudinally, appearance-based social comparison had a mediation role only in the relation of Time 1 A-RS and Time 2 materialism. Specifically, A-CSW showed a moderation role in this positive relation, which happens only in those who base self-worth on appearance. Practical implications, limitations, and future directions of this study are discussed.

Global and appearance-contingent self-esteem: Associations with health and attractiveness exercise reasons

Whilst some individuals exercise for health-related reasons, others appear to exercise to bolster physical attractiveness. For the latter, this is often attributed to dissatisfaction with appearance. Few studies, however, have explored if differences in self-esteem may relate to diverse exercise reasons. The present study investigated whether global self-esteem, appearance-contingent self-worth, and appearance satisfaction may be differentially associated with health and attractiveness exercise reasons. It was further sought to explore whether these relations coincided with different motivational regulations. Adults from the east midlands of the United Kingdom (N = 209; 75% female, 25% male; mean age = 29.77 years) completed measures relating to their global and appearance-contingent self-esteem, appearance satisfaction, exercise intentions, and motivations. Structural equation modelling revealed that global self-esteem was positively associated with appearance satisfaction and health reasons for exercise, whereas appearance-contingent self-esteem related to lower appearance satisfaction and attractiveness reasons. Appearance satisfaction had no association with either exercise reason but was associated with intrinsic motivation and lower controlled exercise motivations. Health exercise reasons were positively associated with intrinsic, identified, and introjected motivation, whereas attractiveness reasons were exclusively related to external motivation. The findings highlight the conceptual importance of differentiating the level and contingency of exercisers’ self-esteem. The findings may also have substantive value for exercise practitioners in understanding different reasons for exercise.

Compliments on skin tone hamper cognitive performance of Chinese adolescent girls with stronger appearance contingent self-worth

Compliments on skin tone hamper cognitive performance of Chinese adolescent girls with stronger appearance contingent self-worth

"Ur a freakin goddess!": Examining Appearance Commentary on Instagram.

Frequent use of highly visual online platforms such as Instagram may be linked to greater body image concerns. One prominent feature of Instagram is the ability to receive feedback in the form of likes and comments. The goal of this cross-sectional study (conducted in laboratory and online) was to examine college students' receipt of appearance commentary on their most recent Instagram posts, and how this relates to their self-reported body image concerns. The Instagram commentary that 337 students (M age=20.39) received on their posts was observationally coded for positivity and negativity. Receiving positive appearance commentary was common and linked to greater appearance-related social media consciousness, and, weakly, to body surveillance. There were no associations with self-objectification, appearance-contingent self-worth, facial satisfaction, and body dissatisfaction. Negative appearance commentary was not associated with body image concerns. Photos depicting only the self were especially likely to elicit positive appearance commentary. Females received more positive appearance commentary compared to males, whereas males received more negative appearance commentary. Future research should examine long-term effects of receiving appearance comments via Instagram.

Testing a dual pathway model of appearance-related commentary in gay men: Appearance contingent self-worth as a moderator

Testing a dual pathway model of appearance-related commentary in gay men: Appearance contingent self-worth as a moderator

The Indirect Effects of Self‐Esteem and Future Work Self on Career Adaptability Factors: A Study of Chinese Undergraduate Students

This study examined the indirect effects of global self‐esteem (GSE) on the linkage between proactive personality (PP), appearance‐contingent self‐worth (ACSW), and career adaptability (CA) among 372 Chinese undergraduate students. The indirect effect of future work self (FWS) on the linkage between GSE and CA and between PP and CA was also examined. Results demonstrated that GSE mediated the PP‐CA relationship; however, GSE was not a mediator in the ACSW‐CA relationship. FWS mediated both the GSE‐CA and PP‐CA relationships. Gender differences in the strength of the relationships were also observed. The findings expand existing empirical work by demonstrating the important indirect effects of GSE and FWS in relation to CA. Career counselors and educators may encourage students to be more proactive and boost their GSE to accomplish their career goals.

Self-compassion and dissonance-based interventions for body image distress in young adult women

Self-compassion interventions have been suggested as a potentially more acceptable way to address body image distress compared to interventions that emphasize challenging (often firmly entrenched) thin-ideals. In the current randomized controlled trial, young adult women endorsing body image concerns were randomized to a self-compassion (SC) intervention consisting of one in-person session plus one week of self-guided practice (n = 50), a similarly-structured dissonance-based (DB) intervention (n = 50), or a waitlist (WL) control (n = 51). Both brief interventions were acceptable and were more effective than WL. The two interventions did not differ significantly from each other in reducing the global measure of body dissatisfaction, improving body appreciation, or reducing appearance-contingent self-worth. The DB intervention alone decreased thin-ideal internalization, but only among participants with initially high scores. More participants initially expressed a preference for the SC rationale, and at post-test SC participants reported a higher likelihood of recommending the intervention they had received to others. Change in self-compassion emerged as a possible mechanism of action within both interventions, suggesting it may be useful to integrate aspects of both approaches to enhance acceptability and provide the greatest benefits.

소셜 미디어 이용이 남녀 대학생의 부정적 신체 이미지 형성에 미치는 영향 : 외모 조건부 자기가치의 조절효과를 중심으로

소셜 미디어 이용이 남녀 대학생의 부정적 신체 이미지 형성에 미치는 영향 : 외모 조건부 자기가치의 조절효과를 중심으로

소셜 미디어 이용이 남녀 대학생의 부정적 신체 이미지 형성에 미치는 영향 : 외모 조건부 자기가치의 조절효과를 중심으로

이 연구는 남녀 대학생을 대상으로 페이스북 이용이 신체 불만족에 미치는 영향을 외모 조건부 자기가치의 조절효과와 함께 살펴보았다. 소셜 미디어 이용이 여성의 신체 이미지 형성에 영향을 미친다는 연구 결과들은 다수 보고되어 왔으나, 남성을 대상으로 한 연구는 제한적이다. 따라서 이 연구에서는 소셜 미디어 이용이 남녀의 신체 이미지 형성에 어떠한 영향을 미치는가를 살펴보고 성별에 의한 차이가 발견되는지 알아보고자 하였다. 총 541명이 분석 대상에 포함되었으며, 응답자 중 여성의 비율이 60.6%(328명), 남성의 비율이 39.4%(213명)였다. 페이스북 이용은 포스팅 활동과 소셜 그루밍 활동으로 나누어 살펴보았으며, 외모자기가치는 소셜 미디어 이용과 신체 불만족 관계에 영향을 미치는 개인의 심리적 변인으로 사용하였다. 연구결과, 포스팅 활동은 남녀 대학생의 신체 불만족에 영향을 미치지 못한 반면, 소셜 그루밍 활동은 여자 대학생의 신체 불만족에 정적인 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 외모자기가치는 소셜 그루밍과 상호작용을 통하여 남자 대학생의 신체 불만족에 영향을 미쳤으나, 여자대학생 그룹에서는 외모자기가치의 조절효과가 발견되지 않았다. 이 연구는 여성에 치중되어 있던 소셜 미디어 이용과 신체 이미지 관계에 대한 연구를 남성으로 확장하고, 성별과 개인의 심리적 기제에 따라 소셜 미디어의 영향력이 달라질 수 있음을 보여주었다는데 의의가 있다.

A Randomised Controlled Trial Examining the Effects of Self-Compassion Meditations on Women’s Body Image

Although research has suggested that body image improves following self-compassion meditation training, studies have been limited due to the use of a wait-list control group. This study therefore compared the effects of self-compassion meditations to an active control group. Seventy young adult women (17-35 years) were randomly assigned to receive either self-compassion or nature-focused guided imagery meditations. Over one week, participants engaged in two meditations and completed pre- and post-test measures of trait self-compassion, body appreciation, body shame, and appearance-contingent self-worth. A mixed design analysis of variance revealed a main effect of time; women in both meditation groups demonstrated significant increases in self-compassion and body appreciation, and significant reductions in body shame. No effect was found for appearance-contingent self-worth. There were no interactions or main effects for group. Self-compassion may improve body image in women, although there was no evidence for an advantage of self-compassion over guided imagery meditations. Common elements between self-compassion and guided imagery may be a mechanism for improving body image. However, further research is warranted to isolate the effects of these meditations from other specific and non-specific treatment effects. (This study was pre-registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12618001814268).

Linking Mother and Offspring Depressive Symptoms: The mediating role of child appearance contingent self-worth

Adolescents exposed to maternal depression are more vulnerable to depressive symptoms. Less is known on the mediating role of children's self-worth construction processes, particularly those related to physical appearance. This study proposes and tests appearance contingent self-worth (ACSW) as a mediator linking depressive symptoms across generations. Our sample included 1,420 participants of the Great Smoky Mountain Study. Offspring depressive symptoms were prospectively assessed with DSM-IV for both the adolescent period (13-16) and adulthood period (19-26). Maternal depression was screened with the Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire when the child was 13-16 years old. We used gender-stratified structural equation model in which offspring ACSW in adolescence and adulthood were specified as mediators linking maternal depression and offspring depressive symptoms in adolescence and adulthood, respectively. Mediation was tested using bias-corrected bootstrapped standard errors. ACSW is associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms in both adolescent and adult females and males, but the link between maternal depressive symptoms and ACSW is only significant among females. ACSW partially mediates the effects of maternal depressive symptoms on adolescent and adult depressive symptoms in girls. Measurement of maternal depression was not based on diagnosis. Generalizability is limited due to the regional sample. Our findings provide evidence that daughters of depressed mothers may stake their self-worth on body image, which may partially explain some of their higher susceptibility to depression.

The protective role of self-compassion for women’s positive body image: an open replication and extension

The development and maintenance of positive body image in women may be disrupted by sociocultural appearance-related pressures. Therefore, it is critical to explore factors that may safeguard women’s positive body image. A recent study by Homan and Tylka (2015) found that in a large sample (N = 263) of female MTurk workers and university-aged women, both appearance-contingent self-worth and body-based social comparisons were linked to less positive body image, but these links were attenuated in the face of high self-compassion. This research, an independent direct replication of the original study, supported the original findings. In a new, larger sample (N = 363 female-identified MTurk workers), signals were detected that were similar in size and magnitude to the original study. Specifically, while appearance-contingent self-worth and body-based social comparisons were negatively linked to body appreciation, those who endorsed higher levels of self-compassion reported a more positive body image, even in the presence of these potential threats. Findings are extended to eating- and exercise-based social comparisons. All materials, including the replication protocol, data management plan, dataset, SPSS syntax, and output are publicly available on the Open Science Framework at: https://osf.io/r274y/. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Loving myself through thick and thin: Appearance contingent self-worth, gendered racial microaggressions and African American women’s body appreciation

Contrary to previous literature, recent studies have indicated that African American women are reporting similar rates of body dissatisfaction as their European American counterparts. Yet, little is known about contextual factors, such as gendered racial microaggressions and their association with body appreciation, and whether appearance contingent self-worth accounts for this relationship. Consistent with intersectionality theory, this study examined appearance-contingent self-worth as a mediator between stress related to experiencing sexually objectifying gendered racial microaggressions and body appreciation. African American emerging adult women (N = 143), predominately from the Southern United States, completed a self-report measure of gendered racial microaggressions, appearance contingent self-worth, and body appreciation. Results demonstrated that appearance contingent self-worth, at least in part, mediated the relationship between stress related to gendered racial microaggressions and African American women’s appreciation for their bodies. It is imperative future body image interventions aimed at African American emerging adult women address factors, such as appearance contingent self-worth and gendered racial microaggressions, in their efforts improve body appreciation.

Focusing on one’s own appearance leads to body shame in women but not men: The mediating role of body surveillance and appearance-contingent self-worth

Previous research has shown that some appearance-focused situations lead to increased self-objectification, especially among women. The present research explored, with an experimental design, whether the simple fact of thinking about one’s own physical appearance increases body shame through body surveillance and appearance-contingent self-worth in men and women. Our main prediction was that focusing on one’s own appearance would increase both women’s body surveillance and appearance-contingent self-worth, and that both variables in turn would increase women’s body shame. Among men, while we expected body surveillance and appearance-contingent self-worth to be related to body shame, we believed that thinking about their physical appearance would be less likely to increase their body surveillance and appearance-contingent self-worth. Spanish young men (n = 123) and women (n = 140) were randomly assigned to an appearance group, in which they wrote about their appearance, or a personality group, in which they wrote about their personality. The results confirmed our prediction for women. Among men, the indirect effects were not significant, and focusing on one’s own appearance did not increase body surveillance or appearance-contingent self-worth. Since body shame has been associated with pervasive negative consequences, knowledge about its antecedents has practical and theoretical significance.

Facebook, body esteem, and body surveillance in adult women: The moderating role of self-compassion and appearance-contingent self-worth

This study examined how Facebook use and specific Facebook activities were associated with body esteem and body surveillance in adult women. This study also examined whether self-compassion and appearance-contingent self-worth moderated the relationship between Facebook appearance comparison and body esteem, and the relationship between Facebook appearance comparison and body surveillance. Self-report measures were administered to adult women (N = 232) between the ages of 20 and 72 (M = 35.91) recruited through MTurk. Results indicated that Facebook appearance-exposure and Facebook appearance comparison significantly related to body surveillance, whereas only Facebook appearance comparison significantly related to body esteem. Overall Facebook use and Facebook intensity were not significantly associated with either body esteem or body surveillance. Self-compassion and appearance-contingent self-worth significantly related to body esteem and body surveillance. However, neither self-compassion nor appearance-contingent self-worth significantly moderated the relationship between Facebook appearance comparison and body surveillance. Similarly, a lack of significant moderation was found for the relationship between Facebook appearance comparison and body esteem. The importance of studying body image and Facebook activities in adult women is discussed. Additionally, the importance for researchers to examine how specific Facebook activities, beyond Facebook use, are linked with body image in this population is also highlighted.

Romantic relationship and appearance-based rejection sensitivity: A moderated mediation model of self-rated attractiveness and appearance-contingent self-worth

Being in a romantic relationship might be negatively associated with appearance-based rejection sensitivity (Appearance-RS); however, there is little understanding of the mechanism of this relationship. In this study, we explored the effect of romantic relationship status (RRS) on Appearance-RS, and whether this effect is mediated by self-rated attractiveness (SRA) and moderated by appearance-contingent self-worth (A-CSW). Participants were 542 Chinese undergraduates who completed anonymous questionnaires measuring RRS, SRA, A-CSW, Appearance-RS, and various control variables. The results revealed that individual differences in RRS were a pronounced predictor of Appearance-RS. Specifically, single individuals without any romantic relationship were more susceptible to higher Appearance-RS, which was explained by their lower SRA. Additionally, the more participants' self-worth was contingent on their appearance, the stronger their SRA predicted their Appearance-RS. Future studies should explore the role of relationship satisfaction in the effect of RRS on Appearance-RS.

Everybody loves beauty? The moderated effect of body attractiveness among young Koreans

Physical attractiveness affects people’s lives in numerous ways. This study examined the effect of a woman’s body attractiveness on favorability perception based on the ‘beauty-is-good’ stereotype in the context of South Korea. Body attractiveness was operationalized using tallness in Study 1 and slimness in Study 2. The two studies tested the effect of a woman’s body attractiveness with the consideration of participants’ gender and the dependence of participants’ self-worth on their appearance. A general linear model with a 2 (target woman’s bodily attractiveness: high vs. low) × 2 (participants’ gender: female vs. male) design and participants’ appearance-contingent self-worth as a continuous predictor was performed. Results of these studies indicated that participants’ gender and appearance-contingent self-worth moderated the positive effect of body attractiveness on favorability perception; specifically, this effect was supported by men with high appearance-contingent self-worth and women with low appearance-contingent self-worth. Interestingly, women with high appearance-contingent self-worth showed opposite effect of body attractiveness on favorability perception in Study 2. These findings extend the effect of the beauty-is-good stereotype to bodily aspects and address the interaction between participants’ gender and appearance-contingent self-worth. Discussions on tallness and slimness are provided.