Height Dissatisfaction Research Articles

Predictors of body image perceptions among healthcare providers in Terengganu, Malaysia

ObjectivesThe study's aim was to find predictors of body image perception scores among health care providers (HCPs) in Terengganu, Malaysia. MethodsA cross-sectional study among 201 health care providers (HCPs) was conducted from January to March 2023. This study participants were drawn from a pool of HCPs with a BMI of 25 kg/m2 or higher. Body image perceptions were scored using the Malay version of the Body Self-Image Questionnaire-Short Form. Multiple linear regression was used to determine the predictors of body image perception scores. ResultsAge and longer work hours correlate with higher body satisfaction among HCPs, while higher BMI lowers satisfaction. Nurses typically experience more height dissatisfaction. Higher income is associated with better self-ratings in looks, health, and fitness, but higher education correlates with poorer self-ratings. Married HCPs report lower attractiveness, health, fitness, and self-esteem but are more satisfied with their height. ConclusionThis situational analysis identifies predictors, such as sociodemographic factors and occupational aspects, that can aid in customising interventions to address specific body image concerns among HCPs, with the goal of reducing obesity prevalence among them.

Sociocultural influences on body image concerns in men of color – a structural equation modeling study

ABSTRACT Objective There is a noticeable underrepresentation of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) men in the existing empirical literature examining the sociocultural influences on body image concerns. To fill the gap, this study aimed to gain a better understanding of how sociocultural factors correlated with body dissatisfaction among BIPOC men living within the U.S. Design Structural equation modeling was used to address this gap by examining how multiple sociocultural factors – interpersonal appearance pressure, media appearance pressure, ethnic-racial identity attitudes (including ethnic-racial salience, stereotype endorsement, and nationalistic assimilation) and ethnic self-hatred towards one’s ethnic group – were linked to dissatisfaction with muscularity, body fat and height in a sample of 181 BIPOC men participants. Results The proposed cross-sectional path model achieved satisfactory model fit and explained 31.9% in muscularity dissatisfaction, 36.2% in body fat dissatisfaction, and 26.4% in height dissatisfaction. Among direct relationships, interpersonal appearance pressure emerged most prominently associated with height dissatisfaction, whereas media appearance pressure and ethnic self-hatred were more related to muscularity and body fat dissatisfaction. Regarding the mediation effects, media appearance pressure was found to partially mediate the relationship between interpersonal appearance pressure and body dissatisfaction, as well as the relationship between ethnic self-hatred and body dissatisfaction. Furthermore, ethnic self-hatred was found to be predicted by ethnic-racial identity attitudes. Conclusion This research profoundly expands our understanding of the ethnic and racial complexities surrounding body dissatisfaction among BIPOC men and encourages health practitioners to acknowledge the unique sociocultural and systemic dynamics (ethnic-racial identities and associated stressors) when working with BIPOC men who present with body image concerns.

Concurrent and longitudinal associations of dissatisfaction with height and weight, body mass index with sleep disturbance among adolescents in China.

Sleep disturbance in adolescents is a significant global public health issue that can result in various physical and mental disorders. Height and weight dissatisfaction, as subjective perceptions of body shape, are common in adolescence and may affect individuals' sleep situations. However, the association of them is unclear. This study aimed to examine the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations among height dissatisfaction, weight dissatisfaction, body mass index (BMI), and sleep disturbance in adolescents. A total of 27,260 participants completed measures of sleep disturbance, height and weight satisfaction, and BMI. The cross-sectional and longitudinal effects of height satisfaction, weight satisfaction, and BMI as well as their changes in sleep disturbance over time were tested. Height satisfaction (ps < 0.001) and weight satisfaction (ps < 0.001) were negatively associated with concurrent sleep disturbance after adjusting for socio-demographic covariates and previous sleep disturbance. Height satisfaction (ps < 0.001) and weight satisfaction (ps < 0.001) at T1 as well as their increases (ps < 0.001) over 6 months predicted decreases in sleep disturbance over time. The cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between BMI and sleep disturbance were not significant (ps > 0.42). Moreover, height dissatisfaction (ORs = 1.06 to 1.34) and weight dissatisfaction (ORs = 1.21 to 1.36) were risk factors for concurrent and long-term sleep disturbance while adjusting socio-demographic covariates and previous sleep disturbance. Greater attention to subjective perception of height satisfaction and weight satisfaction, instead of BMI is needed.

An examination of the relationship between height, height dissatisfaction, drive for thinness and muscularity, and eating disorder symptoms in north American women

Recent research has evidenced the importance of height dissatisfaction in male body image, however the impact of height on body image in women remains relatively unexplored. Our study aimed to investigate the association between height, heightdissatisfaction, body dissatisfaction, and eating disorder symptoms in a sample of 139 women from the USA. Participants were recruited using Amazon's MTurk and reported their actual and ideal height, as well as completing measures of height dissatisfaction, and drive for thinness, drive for muscularity, and eating disorder symptoms. A paired sample t-test was utilised to examine differences in participants’ actual and ideal height. Additionally, linear hierarchical multiple regression was used to assess whether height, eating disorder symptoms, drive for thinness, and drive for muscularity uniquely predicted height dissatisfaction, and significant interactions were explored using a simple slope analysis complemented with a Johnson-Neyman analysis. Results showed that 48.92% of women reported identical actual and ideal height, 33.09% of women wanted to be taller, and 13.67% wanted to be shorter than their actual height. Additionally, shorter women tended to report greater height dissatisfaction, and higher levels of drive for thinness and drive for muscularity were associated with increased height dissatisfaction. However, eating disorder symptoms did not uniquely account for significant variance in height dissatisfaction once accounting for drive for thinness and muscularity. Our exploratory analysis also revealed that for taller than average women, height dissatisfaction was more strongly predicted by drive for muscularity, thus implicating the significance of height and muscle dissatisfaction for taller women. Overall, our study demonstrated that height and height dissatisfaction are important components to the theoretical construct of women’s body image, and therefore should be integrated into theoretical models of female body dissatisfaction and considered in assessment, formulation, and treatment of body image-related disorders. Further research with larger and more diverse samples, including clinical populations, is warranted to validate and extend our findings.

Effect of age and gender on dietary patterns, mindful eating, body image and confidence

The emergence of ‘Diet Culture’ came into existence with the era of pop culture, which emphasized the idea of body improvement by embracing the portrayal of unrealistic beauty standards set by the thin-ideal media. This growing and trending culture gained its popularity in India with the COVID pandemic and the imposed lockdown, wherein the prevalence of obesity and binge eating resulted from counter-regulatory eating behaviors and restrictive food intake to a greater extent of skipping meals to achieve the desired body type. The present empirical investigation focuses on understanding the gender and age-based differences (between the ages 18 to 55) among Indian population on dietary patterns, body image, mindful eating and physical appearance confidence using 2 × 3 factorial design. The tools used were Eating Behavior Pattern Questionnaire (EBPQ) [43], Body Self- image Questionnaire (BSIQ) [40], Mindful Eating Questionnaire (MEQ) [18] and Personal Evaluation Inventory (PEI) [44] were administered on a sample size of 120, selected using convenience sampling technique. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS Version 20.0. Results of the study reveal non-significant age and gender differences for mindful eating and appearance confidence. Significant age- differences were observed for Snacking and convenience F(2,114) = 6.22, p < .05; social dependence F(2,114) = 3.87, p < .05 and height dissatisfaction F(2,114) = 8.79, p < .05. And, significant gender differences were observed for Meal Skipping F(1,114) = 6.46, P < .05; snacking and convenience F(1,114) = 4.19, p < .05; fatness evaluation F(1,114) = 5.94, p < .05 and fitness evaluation F(1,114) = 5.33, p < .05. The only significant interaction effect observed was for social dependence dimension F(2, 114) = 3.96, p < .05. Thus, high exposure to social media and diet-related content contributed significantly to changing dietary patterns, and how they look, feel or perceive their body.

Associations of broad eating disorder symptoms with later alcohol problems in Finnish adult twins: A nationwide 10-year follow-up.

Eating disorders are associated with subsequent alcohol problems, but it is not known whether this association also extends to broader eating disorder symptoms not captured by clinical diagnoses. We assessed the longitudinal association of broad eating disorder symptoms with alcohol problems in a nationwide twin sample (FinnTwin16). Finnish women (N = 1905) and men (N = 1449) self-reported their eating disorder symptoms using the Eating Disorder Inventory-2 Bulimia, Drive for Thinness, and Body Dissatisfaction subscales at the mean age of 24.4 years in 2000-2003. A subsample of participants also completed items on drive for muscularity, height dissatisfaction, and muscle-enhancing supplement use. Alcohol problems were assessed 10 years later at the age of 34.1 in 2010-2012 with the Rutgers Alcohol Problem Index. Eating disorder symptoms were associated with later alcohol problems (odds ratio per point increase 1.02-1.18). Bulimia showed stronger associations among men than women (p for interaction .012). Drive for muscularity and height dissatisfaction were also associated with later alcohol problems, but supplement use was not. When accounting for baseline alcohol problems, only Bulimia (among women and men) and Drive for Thinness (among men) were significantly associated with later alcohol problems. Bulimia was also significantly associated with later alcohol problems in within-twin-pair analyses among dizygotic twins, but not among monozygotic twins. In a longitudinal setting, eating disorder symptoms were associated with later alcohol problems. Bulimic symptoms were a stronger risk factor for men than women. These associations may be attributable to baseline alcohol problems, childhood environment and genetic liability. This study found that both young adult women and men with broad eating disorder symptoms are at a higher risk of alcohol-related problems than those without such symptoms. Men with bulimic symptoms were at a particularly high risk. These findings emphasize the need for better prevention and treatment of disordered eating, body image concerns and alcohol problems for both young adult women and men.

Development, Validation, and Measurement Invariance of the Body Image Bidimensional Assessment (BIBA) in Italian and Spanish Children and Early Adolescent Samples.

Body dissatisfaction (BD) is an important public health issue as it negatively influences the physical and psychosocial wellbeing of children/early adolescents. Available measures of BD for this population are scarce, have a significant bias, or only evaluate weight-related dissatisfaction. This study, through the exploratory factor analysis (EFA), aims to develop and validate the Italian (Study 1) and Spanish (Study 2) versions of a new tool, the Body Image Bidimensional Assessment (BIBA), which is not subject to sex-age-race biases and is able to identify BD related to weight and height among children/early adolescents. Study 3 regards the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), testing the measurement of invariance across sex and country. The BIBA has a two-factor structure (i.e., weight and height dissatisfaction) according to studies 1 and 2. McDonald's ω ranged from 0.73 (weight) and 0.72 (height) with good reliability. CFA confirmed the two-factor model as a good fit for the Italian and Spanish samples. Finally, partial metric and scalar invariance of the BIBA dimensions across sexes and nations emerged. The BIBA has proven to be an easy-to-use tool that identifies two BD dimensions among children/early adolescents who could benefit from prompt educational interventions.

Height dissatisfaction and loneliness among adolescents: the chain mediating role of social anxiety and social support.

Previous research on body dissatisfaction has mainly focused on the dissatisfaction with weight and appearance. Limited research has examined the dissatisfaction with another major body feature that is important to our social relationships and personal well-being, namely, body height. We hypothesized that height dissatisfaction would predict more intense loneliness among adolescents, and that this relationship is mediated by greater social anxiety and reduced social support. Participants of this study were 515 Chinese high school students. The Shortness subscale of the Negative Physical Self Scale, Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents, Perceived Social Support Scale, and ULS-8 were integrated into a paper-and-pencil survey. The results revealed that adolescents with high levels of height dissatisfaction reported higher levels of loneliness. A chain mediation model showed that the relationship between height dissatisfaction and loneliness could be both sequentially mediated by social anxiety and social support, and mediated by social anxiety. However, no mediating role of social support was found. We also found that body height did not predict social anxiety or social support, but can predict loneliness. The current findings provide novel insights into the occurrence of loneliness among adolescents, and indicate that negative self-perceptions of body height and the resulting social anxiety can lead to loneliness.

Spatial attentional biases toward height-related words in young males with physical stature dissatisfaction.

By recording event-related potentials (ERPs) during a dot-probe task, the present study examined the neural dynamics of attentional bias toward height-related words among height dissatisfied males. Sixty male participants screened by Negative Physical Self Scale-Stature Concerns subscale (NPS-S) were assigned into a high height dissatisfaction (HHD) group and a low height dissatisfaction (LHD) group. The results showed that tall-related versus neutral words elicited larger N2pc for both HHD and LHD groups, whereas short-related versus neutral words elicited larger N2pc only for the HHD group. Additionally, an evident Pd was elicited by tall-related words for the HHD group, but not for the LHD group. Taken together, these findings revealed attentional biases toward height-related information for HHD individuals on a neural level. Specifically, HHD individuals showed an enhanced spatial attention oriented toward both tall-related and short-related words, and then, the allocated attention to the tall-related words was terminated by an active suppression mechanism.

Shorter Women Are More Dissatisfied with Their Height: An Exploration of Height Dissatisfaction in Australian Women

Height dissatisfaction has recently been found to be an important contributor to body dissatisfaction in males, however, there is currently limited research examining this relationship in women. The present cross-sectional study aimed to examine the link between height and height dissatisfaction in Australian women, and the extent to which height and height dissatisfaction relate to body dissatisfaction and quality of life. Additionally, it explored the height preferences of oneself and romantic partners in Australian women. A final sample of 172 Australian women was recruited to complete an online survey relating to height preference, height dissatisfaction, muscularity, drive for thinness, and quality of life. Results showed that there was a significant difference between the reported actual height of participants and their ideal height. We also found that shorter women tended to be more dissatisfied with their height and were more likely to believe that they were treated poorly due to their height. Our study also identified that the vast majority (84%) preferred a romantic partner taller than them. Results were comparable to men aspiring to be taller than they were. Future studies should consider height dissatisfaction as a potential contributing factor to poor quality of life and negative affect.

Auditory attentional biases in young males with physical stature dissatisfaction

The attentional biases toward body-related information for individuals with weight concerns and eating disorders have been well documented. However, our knowledge of the attentional biases toward body-related information for subjects with physical stature concerns is only at the beginning. And the research on the auditory attentional biases for individuals with physical stature concerns is rare. The identification of attentional biases may provide an impetus for interventions to reduce distress among height dissatisfied individuals. Therefore, the present study investigated the neural mechanisms of attentional bias toward auditory physical stature-related words among height dissatisfied young males by using event-related potential recordings. Forty-four young male participants screened by Negative Physical Self Scale-Stature Concerns subscale (NPS-S) were assigned into an experimental group with high levels of height dissatisfaction (HHD) and a control group with low levels of height dissatisfaction (LHD). Task irrelevant auditory tall-related words, short-related words and neutral words were presented unilaterally to the participants as the cue in a cue-target paradigm. Participants were required to respond to the visual target preceded by the task-irrelevant auditory cue. The results found that significantly larger N2ac was elicited by tall-related words than short-related words and neutral words only for the HHD group, but not for the LHD group. LPCpc amplitudes did not differ significantly by the functions of word types and experimental groups. These results suggest an attentional orienting bias toward auditory tall-related words for young males with high levels of height dissatisfaction.

Trivialized and overlooked: A qualitative investigation of men recruited from an Internet-based forum for short-statured individuals.

Height frequently functions as a cue to the masculine status of men. Despite the socially prescribed ideal physique for men being tall, lean, and muscular, in the context of male body image research height remains underexplored relative to muscularity and body fat. We conducted a qualitative investigation of men’s experiences of height dissatisfaction, drawing upon a sample of 15 men ranging in height from 154 cm to 172 cm (M = 164.80, SD = 5.53), recruited from an Internet-based support group for short-statured individuals. Data were analyzed by 2 independent raters, and in accordance with thematic analysis procedures. Two main themes were identified: (a) the belief that others view short men as inferior and (b) experience of height dissatisfaction. A total of nine subthemes, which reflect key features within the data, were organized beneath the two main themes. Findings demonstrate that the consequences of short stature experienced by participants extend beyond body dissatisfaction to interpersonal processes and functioning in social, professional, and romantic domains. We suggest that height dissatisfaction primarily arises due to negative attributions relating to interpersonal experiences and internalized pejorative social attitudes toward men of short stature. In conclusion, short stature is a significant and pervasive issue for some men that is often—and unjustly—trivialized and overlooked.

Does masculinity moderate the relationship of height with height dissatisfaction? Findings from an Internet forum for short statured men

Research suggests that height is fundamental to Western conceptualisations of masculinity. However, researchers are yet to examine whether individual differences in conformity to Western masculine norms can help to explain why men experience height dissatisfaction. Thus, we investigated conformity to Western masculine norms as a moderator of the relationship between men’s height and height dissatisfaction. Men experiencing height dissatisfaction (N = 249) were recruited from an Internet forum that functions as a discussion space for short-statured individuals. Results indicated that shorter men and more masculine men reported greater height dissatisfaction. As hypothesised, we observed a significant interaction between height and masculinity, such that the strength of the relationship of short stature with height dissatisfaction was stronger for more masculine men. Crucially, results from a Johnson-Neyman analysis indicated that it was only for men extremely low in their endorsement of masculine norms (i.e., the 2nd percentile or lower) that the relationship of height with height dissatisfaction was nonsignificant, suggesting that, in the near-absence of masculine norm conformity, height no longer contributes to male body dissatisfaction. Whilst acknowledging that our findings require further exploration, we propose that conformity to masculine norms may be an influential factor in males’ experience of height dissatisfaction.

Body dissatisfaction in adolescent boys.

Body dissatisfaction is a significant mental health symptom present in adolescent girls and boys. However, it is often either disregarded in adolescent boys or examined using assessments that may not resonate with males. The present study addresses these issues, examining the manifestation, etiology, and correlates of 3 facets of body dissatisfaction in adolescent boys. Adolescent male twins aged 16- to 17-years-old from the Swedish Twin Study of Child and Adolescent Development were included along with a female comparison group: 915 monozygotic and 671 dizygotic same-sex twins. Body dissatisfaction was defined using measures of height dissatisfaction, muscle dissatisfaction, and the body dissatisfaction subscale of the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI-BD). We examined the prevalence of body dissatisfaction, whether the facets of body dissatisfaction were phenotypically and etiologically distinct, and associations with specific externalizing and internalizing symptoms. For boys, muscle dissatisfaction scores were greater than height dissatisfaction scores. Results also indicated that height and muscle dissatisfaction were phenotypically and etiologically distinct from the EDI-BD. Unique associations were observed with externalizing and internalizing symptoms: muscle dissatisfaction with symptoms of bulimia nervosa and the EDI-BD with internalizing symptoms, body mass index, and drive for thinness. The facets of body dissatisfaction were also largely distinct in girls and unique between-sex associations with externalizing and internalizing symptoms emerged. Overall, male-oriented aspects of body dissatisfaction are distinct from female-oriented aspects of body dissatisfaction. To capture the full picture of male body dissatisfaction, multiple facets must be addressed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Gender and BMI Differences in Body Image Among College Freshmen

Research in the area of body image has shown that females have more dissatisfaction with their bodies than males, but that males also have concerns with some aspects of body image. Instructors in wellness courses designed for college freshmen have the opportunity to address these challenges. PURPOSE: to determine which components of body image display gender differences, and whether gender differences in certain aspects of body image are related to BMI. METHODS: The Body Self-Image Questionnaire was administered to students in a freshman Wellness course as a part of their physical fitness assessment which included BMI (N=130 F, 50 M). Data were analyzed with a 2 x 2 factorial ANOVA to evaluate both effects of BMI and Gender and their interactions. All nine subscales of the BSIQ were included: Overall Appearance Evaluation (OAE), Fatness Evaluation (FE), Health/Fitness Evaluation (HFE), Health/Fitness Influence (HFI), Attention to Grooming (AG), Social Dependence (SD), Height Dissatisfaction (HD), Negative Affect (NA), and Investment in Ideals (II). For the analysis, BMI values <25.0 kg/m2 were classified as “normal” (NW); values ≥25 kg/m2 were categorized as “overweight” (OW). RESULTS: In SD, there was a significant main effect for gender, with females scoring higher in the factor of social dependence (p=.0138). There was a main effect for gender in HD, with males being more dissatisfied with their height than females (p=.0103). An interaction existed between gender and BMI for height dissatisfaction, with a greater gender disparity in HD in normal weight students (M>F) than in OW students, where differences almost disappeared. The main effect for gender in FE indicated that females view themselves as fatter than males (p=.0015); not surprisingly, there was also a main effect in FE for BMI (p<.0001; OW>Nor). A main effect for BMI existed in OAE (p<.0001; Nor>OW); II (p=.0373; Nor>OW); HFE (p<.0001; Nor>OW); and NA (p=.0003, OW>Nor). A gender-BMI interaction existed in HFI (p=.0098) indicating that OW males felt that health and fitness influenced feelings about their bodies more so than OW females; in Nor students, gender differences were very small. CONCLUSION: The belief that females have more body image concerns than males is valid in some components of body image, and BMI attenuates some gender differences.

Why are men interested in cosmetic surgery procedures? Examining the role of different forms of peer influence, social comparison, internalization, and body dissatisfaction

The present research examined the roles of different forms of peer influence, internalization, social comparison, and body dissatisfaction in men’s interest in cosmetic surgery. Participants were 204 Italian men (Mage = 34.02, SD = 11.21). Regression analyses showed that appearance conversations with friends and peer attribution were associated with consideration of cosmetic surgery for social reasons, while teasing on muscularity (but not teasing on general body and shape) was linked to interest in cosmetic surgery for intrapersonal motives. Social comparison was significantly and positively associated with men’s interest in cosmetic surgery, while internalization was not. Dissatisfaction with body fat was linked to men’s consideration of cosmetic surgery for social motivations, while muscularity and height dissatisfaction did not emerge as significant correlates of cosmetic surgery attitudes. These findings highlight the importance of psychosocial factors, such as peer influence, body fat dissatisfaction, and social comparison in men’s interest in cosmetic procedures.

The Contribution of Social Media to Body Dissatisfaction, Eating Disorder Symptoms, and Anabolic Steroid Use Among Sexual Minority Men.

Social media has been associated with body dissatisfaction and eating disorder symptoms among young women and adolescent girls. However, despite notable evidence of susceptibility to body image pressures, it remains unknown whether these associations generalize to sexual minority men. A nationwide sample of 2,733 sexual minority men completed an online survey advertised to Australian and New Zealand users of a popular dating app. Participants answered questions about how frequently they used 11 different social media platforms in addition to questions about their dating app use, body image, eating disorder symptoms, and anabolic steroids. Facebook, Youtube, Instagram, and Snapchat were the most frequently used social media platforms. A pattern of small-sized and positive associations emerged between social media use and body dissatisfaction, eating disorder symptoms, and thoughts about using anabolic steroids. Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat evidenced the strongest associations. The associations of social media use with both muscularity dissatisfaction and eating disorder symptoms were stronger for image-centric social media platforms (e.g., Instagram) than nonimage-centric platforms (e.g., Wordpress); no differences were observed for body fat dissatisfaction, height dissatisfaction, or thoughts about using anabolic steroids. Previously documented associations of social media use with body dissatisfaction and related variables among women and girls appear to generalize to sexual minority men. Social media platforms that more centrally involve imagery may be of greater concern than nonimage-centric platforms. Additional research with sexual minority men is needed to elucidate the distinctions between adaptive and maladaptive social media use in the context of body dissatisfaction, eating disorders, and anabolic steroid use.

Validation of Malay Version of Body Self- Image Questionnaire-Short Form among Malaysian Young Adults.

BackgroundBody self-image questionnaire-short form (BSIQ-SF) is developed to measure body image perceptions. Due to the cultural, language and environmental differences between western and eastern population, the validity and reliability need to be established. The aim of this study was to determine validity and reliability of Malay version BSIQ-SF.MethodsA cross-sectional study involved web-based survey was employed. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed using SPSS version 22 and Mplus 7.3.ResultsThere were 688 young adults in Malaysia with mean age of 23.67 (SD = 0.188) and mean body mass index (BMI) of 23.34 (SD = 0.27) participated in the study. Exploratory factor analysis performed and the number domains reduced from nine to four, namely ‘Negative Affect’, ‘Attractiveness Evaluation’, ‘Physical Functionality Awareness’ and ‘Height Dissatisfaction’. CFA further confirmed the structure of the model with adequate goodness-of-fit values [CFI = 0.927, TLI = 0.913, SRMR = 0.075, RMSEA = 0.053 (95% CI: 0.047, 0.060)].ConclusionThe revised 21-item of the Malay version BSIQ-SF was a valid and reliable instrument to measure body image perceptions among Malaysian young adults.

The tall and the short of it: An investigation of height ideals, height preferences, height dissatisfaction, heightism, and height-related quality of life impairment among sexual minority men

Human height has attracted empirical interest from a variety of psychological perspectives. However, little research has explored height from the perspective of sexual minority men, inclusive of their height beliefs, height preferences, height dissatisfaction, experiences of heightism, and height-related quality of life impairment. We explored these height variables in 2733 sexual minority men who completed a survey distributed nationwide to Australian and New Zealander users of geosocial-networking smartphone applications. Results showed that men’s ideal height (M=182.26cm, SD=5.93cm) was taller than their actual height (M=178.96cm, SD=7.52cm). Shorter and taller men reported negative and positive treatment from others due to their height, respectively, with the cross-over (i.e., neutral) point at approximately 175–176cm. Heightism was reported by 11.0% of men. Height dissatisfaction and heightism were uniquely associated with quality of life impairment; the size of these associations was small.

Attention and recognition biases associated with stature dissatisfaction among young men in China

This research evaluated information-processing biases related to height dissatisfaction among young Chinese men. In Study 1, 32 highly stature dissatisfied (HSD) men and 36 less stature dissatisfied (LSD) men performed a dot probe task featuring height-related words and neutral words. HSD men were significantly slower than LSD men were in responding to probes that followed short stature words, but the groups did not differ in response speeds to probes that followed tall stature or neutral words. In Study 2, 33 HSD men and 34 LSD men completed an implicit learning task followed by a word recognition task. HSD men recognized significantly more short stature words from the initial task, but recognition accuracy for other word types did not differ between groups. Together, these findings suggest that HSD men are more inclined than LSD men to selectively avoid cues that reflect shortness in stature and to selectively recognize such cues later.