Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Research Articles

Eating Disorders and Aesthetic Plastic Surgery: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

Eating disorders (ED) and plastic surgery are two areas of healthcare that have gained significant attention in recent years. The goal of this review is to provide an overview of the existing literature concerning the interplay between ED and aesthetic surgery, identifying existing questionnaires and providing suggestions for the future research on the psychological aspects of these group of patients. We conducted a systematic review on PubMed. We included studies that examined the type of ED, surgical procedure, outcome measures used, patients' motivations as well as physical and psychological outcomes of individuals with ED seeking or undergoing aesthetic surgery. Three independent reviewers examined each potential study. Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria. These studies involved 5510 patients, addressing a spectrum of ED such as Anorexia nervosa, Bulimia nervosa, and Binge eating. The primary focus was on body contouring procedures like liposuction, breast surgery, and abdominoplasty. The assessment tools employed in these studies for evaluating ED included the Eating Attitude Test (EAT), Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI), Eating Disturbance Scale (EDS), Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance Questionnaire-Eating Disorder (SATAQ-ED), and the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire. There is a complex interplay between ED and aesthetic surgery, underscoring the significance of comprehending and dealing with the psychological and sociocultural factors that impact patients in this context. The optimal management for these patients and the most effective tool for plastic surgeons to assess their psychological condition remain unclear. It is, therefore, crucial to standardize the evaluation and approach to this patient subgroup, closely aligned with psychological support, to achieve the best outcomes. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Validation of an adapted Italian-language version of the Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance Questionnaire-3 (SATAQ-3), within a female population: the Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance Questionnaire - Social Media (SATAQ-SM).

Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-Social Media (SATAQ-SM) is a self-administered questionnaire for the evaluation of social media pressure and internalization of beauty standards. This study aims to validate the SATAQ-SM an adapted Italian version of the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire third version (SATAQ-3). Confirmatory factor analysis was used to investigate whether the empirical data fitted the four-factor structure of SATAQ-3. Assessment of goodness-of-fit was based on standard model fit criteria: relative χ2 value (χ2/df), Root Mean-Squared Error of Approximation (RMSEA), Comparative Fit Index (CFI) and Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI). Internal consistency was assessed using McDonald's omega. Criterion validity was calculated by correlating the SATAQ-SM factors scores with the total score of the Rosenberg self-esteem scale (RSES) and Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26). Four-hundred and eighty-five females agreed to participate in the study. The four-factor model appears to be confirmed by the fit indices: χ2/df = 3.73, RMSEA = 0.07, CFI = 0.99 and TLI = 0.99. All the items defining the four factors had a factor loading of ≥0.40. McDonald's omega of the entire questionnaire was equal to 0.95 and for the four subscales it did not assume values lower than 0.81. The correlations between the factor score of SATAQ-SM and the RSES were all negative and statistically relevant (p < 0.001); the correlations between the scores of the SATAQ-SM subscales and the total score of the EAT-26 are all positive and statistically significant. SATAQ-SM demonstrated good psychometric properties to assess the influence of social media on body image perception related to social media.

Self-awareness and Social Influences as Predictors of Body Dissatisfaction and Acceptance of Cosmetic Surgery for Social Reasons Among Men

BackgroundBody dissatisfaction and the use of surgery for purely aesthetic reasons among men is steadily increasing. Nevertheless, compared to women, few studies have focused on specific sociocultural and individual factors predicting men’s body dissatisfaction and interest in cosmetic surgery procedures. The present study investigated the role of media, significant others, public and private self-awareness in predicting men’s body dissatisfaction and acceptance of cosmetic surgery for social reasons.MethodsParticipants were 203 men (mean-age 24 years), who completed a questionnaire containing the Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance Questionnaire-4R, the Situational Self-Awareness Scale, the Muscular internalization subscale, the Male Body Attitudes Scale, and the Social subscale of the Acceptance of Cosmetic Surgery Scale. A path analysis was performed.ResultsThe influence of significant others and public self-awareness predicted men’s body dissatisfaction directly and indirectly, via muscularity internalization, while media was only directly associated with body dissatisfaction. A significant link between private self-awareness and body dissatisfaction was found. Moreover, media was not associated with cosmetic surgery either directly or indirectly and public self-awareness showed only a significant association with internalization.ConclusionsThese findings provide information about the role that self-awareness and sociocultural factor play on body dissatisfaction and acceptance of surgery for social reasons among men. The study highlighted the importance of designing preventive programs aimed at enhancing men’s ability to resist various forms of pressure regarding body image and its management. Moreover, the advantages of focusing one’s attention on internal states and feelings can limit body dissatisfaction and can discourage consideration of cosmetic surgery for social benefits.Level of Evidence VThis journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.

Sociocultural predictors of obligatory exercise in young men: A Polish-Chinese comparison.

Obligatory exercise has been shown to have negative physical and mental effects on exercisers and is more prevalent among young people. However, there is limited research on obligatory exercise among young men. Social comparison theory offers a novel perspective to explore the relationship between sociocultural factors and obligatory exercise among young men, which offers an opportunity to understand potential factors contributing to obligatory exercise among young men across different cultures. We recruited a purposive sample of young people aged 18-30 from Poland (n=79) and China (n=194). Participants completed self-report measures including the Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance Questionnaire3, Inventory of Physical Activity Objectives, and Obligatory Exercise Questionnaire. In the data analysis stage, we examined the strength of the relationships between the independent variables and the dependent variable through multiple regression analysis, and tested the role of the mediating variables. The main analyses revealed that Internalization-Athlete was a common direct predictor of obligatory exercise for both Polish and Chinese young men; that there were direct sociocultural predictors of obligatory exercise that were only used in relation to Polish or Chinese young men; and that social adaptation goals for motivation for physical activity mediated the development of obligatory exercise for Polish and Chinese young men, and that there were cross-cultural differences. Attention should be paid to their attitudes towards the idea of a muscular and athletic body and socially adapted physical activity motivations when understanding young men's obligatory exercise, while also considering cross-cultural differences.

Undetected eating disorders among adolescent psychiatric inpatients.

The aim of this study was to identify the prevalence of undetected eating disorders (EDs) among adolescent psychiatric inpatients and to investigate the association between clinical, psychiatric, and sociocultural factors and EDs. Between January and December 2018, patients aged 12-18 years, hospitalized for inpatient-level treatment were given the self-assessment questionnaires of the Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26), the Contour Drawing Figure Rating Scale (CDFRS), the Child Behaviour Check List, and Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance Questionnaire-4 after their routine unstructured clinical diagnostic assessment on admission by a psychiatrist. Patients were reassessed after reviewing the psychometric assessment results. The prevalence of EDs among 117 psychiatric inpatients was 9.4%, all were female and all diagnosed with unspecified feeding and eating disorder. We showed that 63.6% of patients with EDs was diagnosed after the screening and not with the routine clinical interview. EAT-26 scores were weakly correlated with affective (r = 0.314, p = .001), anxious (r = 0.231, p = .012), somatic (r = 0.258, p = .005), and impulsive maladaptive behaviours (r = 0.272, p = .003). A formal ED diagnosis was positively associated with media pressure, (OR:1.660, 95% CI: 1.105-2.495) and oppositional defiance (OR: 1.391, 95% CI: 1.005-1.926), and negatively with conduct problems (OR: 0.695, 95% CI: 0.500-0.964). The CDFRS results were not different between the ED and non-ED groups. Our study suggests EDs remain a prevalent yet often overlooked diagnosis in adolescent psychiatric inpatients. Health care providers should screen for EDs in inpatient psychiatric settings as a part of routine assessment to improve the identification of disordered eating behaviours that often begin during adolescence.

Sexting, Self-esteem, and Social Media: A Comparison among Frequent, Occasional, and Non-sexting Italian Adolescent Girls.

The phenomenon of sexting consists of sending and sharing sexual images, videos, or messages using smartphones and social networks. Sexting is spreading dangerously among adolescents who share private and explicit sexual content, ignoring the negative and risky consequences associated with this behavior. According to recent literature, sexting behavior is strongly related to the participants' level of self-esteem and social media's influence on them. Our study was a descriptive community-based study focused on the central-south Italian context, which aimed to investigate sexually risky behavior and the main motivations for sexting, and to compare differences in self-esteem and social media's influence among three groups of Italian girls: non-sexters, occasional sexters, and frequent sexters. Our research involved 569 Italian girls (14-19 years old) who completed the following questionnaires: the Health and Sexual Behavior Questionnaire; the Sexting Behavior Scale; the Multidimensional Self-Concept Scale; and the Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance Questionnaire-3. Our results showed that most participants sexted with their partner, and had a responsible attitude toward sexuality and kept sexual risk low. Moreover, frequent sexters had higher scores on social media's influence relative to the internalization of the body image and model for beauty and athleticism, as well as lower levels of global, academic, and competence self-esteem. Our results could promote interventions in the school context in order to: a) improve awareness among youth about social media use, sexting, and safe sexuality; b) reduce the risk associated with sexting and the influence of social networks; and c) stimulate reflections by teachers and parents on adolescents' sense of identity and self-esteem.

Media Internalized Pressure and Restrained Eating Behavior in College Students: The Multiple Mediating Effects of Body Esteem and Social Physique Anxiety.

BackgroundRestrained eating behavior has become the norm in college students' lives, and considering the harm it causes to college students, it is necessary to explore the factors associated with it. The aim of this study was to explore the association between media internalized pressure, body esteem, social physique anxiety, and restrained eating behavior.MethodsThe participants in this study were 1,032 Chinese college students (439 males and 593 females) and had a mean age of 20.22 years (SD = 1.277). They completed the Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance Questionnaire-3, Body Esteem Scale (BES), Social Physique Anxiety Scale (SPAS), and Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DEBQ).ResultsThe results showed that media internalized pressure was significantly and positively associated with college students' restrained eating behavior, that body esteem and social physique anxiety played a mediating role between media internalized pressure and restrained eating behavior, respectively, and that body esteem and social physique anxiety can also play a chained mediating role.ConclusionThis study reveals the relationship between media internalized pressure and restrained eating behavior, and the important role played by body esteem and social physique anxiety. Future interventions targeting restrained eating should focus on the aspects of body esteem and social physique anxiety.

The Mediating Effect of Negative Appearance Evaluation on the Relationship Between Eating Attitudes and Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance.

ObjectiveBody-image disturbance and eating disorders are significant physical and mental health problems in China. Attitudes toward the body are thought to work in conjunction with other established risk factors for dietary pathology, which include body dissatisfaction, dieting, and negative effects. Negative appearance evaluation may be valuable for extending our understanding of measuring factors and potential causal relationships associated with body image and eating problems. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the association between negative appearance evaluation and a combination of eating attitudes and sociocultural attitudes toward appearance and the mediating effect of negative appearance evaluation on the relationship between eating attitudes and sociocultural attitudes toward appearance.MethodsWe invited 339 Chinese adults to undergo the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), the Fear of Negative Appearance Evaluation Scale (FNAES), and the Sociocultural Attitudes toward Appearance (SATAQ-3) scale, and used AMOS 24.0 for model construction and mediating effects testing.ResultsThere was a significant positive correlation between EAT-26 scores and FNAES (p < 0.001) and SATAQ-3 scores (p < 0.001), and all dimensions except internalization general were significantly positively correlated (p < 0.05). There was a significant positive correlation between FNAES and SATAQ-3 scores for all dimensions (p < 0. 01). There was no significant direct effect of eating attitude on sociocultural attitude toward appearance; however, there was a significant mediating effect of fear of negative appearance evaluation.ConclusionOur results demonstrate that negative appearance evaluation fully mediates the relationship between eating attitudes and sociocultural attitudes toward appearance. An individual’s attitude toward eating affects negative body perceptions and thus their perception of their own body shape. Our exploration of the specific effects of eating attitudes on body perception provides a psychological basis for guidance and developing interventions regarding attitudes toward the body.

The Relationship Between Childhood Traumas with Social Appearance Anxiety and Symptoms of Body Dysmorphic Disorder: The Mediating Role of Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance

Background: Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) and social anxiety are two concepts related to body dissatisfaction. These concepts have been linked to sociocultural attitudes to appearances and painful experiences in interpersonal relationships. Objectives: The present study examines the relationship between childhood traumas with social appearance anxiety (SAA) and BDD through the mediating role of sociocultural attitudes toward appearance (SATA). Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 415 university students in Tehran, Iran using the convenience sampling method in 2019 - 2020. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 24 and Amos version 21 software. Results: According to our results, while childhood traumas were not directly related to BDD (β = 0.059; SE = 0.31), SAA seemed to play a statistically significant mediating role (β = 0.17; SE = 0.005). Moreover, childhood trauma was related to SAA both directly (β = 0.24; SE = 0.001) and through the mediating role of SATA. In addition, SATA (β = 0.17; SE = 0.005) significantly predicted BDD (β = 0.27, P &lt; 0.001). The assumed model was in good fit with the acquired data (CFI = 0.97, GFI = 0.95, NFI = 0.94, RMSEA = 0.046). Conclusions: Children who have had traumatic experiences may experience anxiety and self-doubt. Thus, childhood traumas are ostensibly related to signs of BDD and SAA through the mediation of sociocultural attitudes. Childhood traumas can also predict susceptibility to rejection in interpersonal relationships. However, no results have been found to mediate rejection sensitivity concerning trauma with BDD and SAA.

Investigating the Linkages between BMI, Body Image, and SATAQ among Young Asian Females.

Sociocultural attitudes toward appearance and its linkage to body mass index (BMI) and body image is a relationship worth studying, especially in Asia, where the idealization of thinness can be prominent. The Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance Questionnaire (SATAQ) developed by Heinberg et al. in 1995 was used in this study to examine whether these beliefs have been internalized. Furthermore, the Body Esteem Scale (BES) was used to quantify body image. The formal in-person survey was administered in Taipei, Taiwan. There were 301 valid samples out of 330 surveyed respondents. To enhance the representativeness of the samples, a stratified sampling technique was applied to generate survey data with valid samples following gender and age distributions of the population between the ages of 14 and 28. The internalization dimension represented how strongly the respondents considered the importance of the socially accepted concept of appearance based on personal perceived social norms. The other dimension, awareness, represented the sociocultural pressures from the outside world, such as from the image of slimness illustrated in the media or group, in comparison to personal beliefs. Our results demonstrated that respondents with above-normal BMIs internalized the socially preferred standards of thinness more than respondents with normal or under-normal BMIs. Furthermore, results also revealed, overall, a negative relationship between SATAQ and body image and between body image and BMI. The study highlights the need to emphasize “fitness over thinness” to help improve negative body image among young Asian females.

Internalization of Appearance Ideals and Appearance Comparison among Adolescent Boys and Girls: The Role of Identity Formation

ABSTRACT The detrimental impact of sociocultural pressures on adolescents’ body image has been widely established. However, it remains unclear why or for whom such pressures lead to increased appearance ideals internalization and appearance comparison. This cross-sectional study investigated moderating and indirect effects of identity confusion/synthesis in the relationship between (1) sociocultural pressures and (2) appearance ideals internalization and appearance comparison. The study comprised 685 community adolescents (13–19 years; Mage = 14.80; SDage = 0.93; 55.2% girls). Participants completed self-report questionnaires on sociocultural pressures (Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance Questionnaire-4; SATAQ-4), identity confusion/synthesis (Erikson Psychosocial Stage Inventory; EPSI), thin-ideal and muscular-ideal internalization (SATAQ-4), and appearance comparison (Physical Appearance Comparison Scale; PACS). Structural equation models with latent variables were estimated. The current results pointed to both moderating and indirect effects of identity formation in the relationship between sociocultural pressures and appearance ideals internalization and appearance comparison in boys and girls. No significant differences were found between boys and girls in the moderating or indirect models. These results highlight the need to integrate identity functioning in sociocultural theories on body image formation, and to address a healthy identity development in prevention and intervention programs targeting appearance ideals internalization and appearance comparison in adolescents.

Internalization of body image as a potential mediator of the relationship between body acceptance by others and intuitive eating

Objective To investigate the role of internalization of body image ideals as a potential mediator between perceived body acceptance and intuitive eating among college students. Participants/Method 168 undergraduates completed the Body Acceptance By Others Scale (BAOS), Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance Questionnaire-3 (SATAQ-3; Internalization-Total and -General, -Athletic subscales), and Intuitive Eating Scale (IES). Results Internalization-Total mediated the relationship between BAOS and IES (b=.19, p<.001). Internalization-General was a significant mediator of the BAOS-IES relationship (b=.14, p=.006), while Internalization-Athletic was not (p=.993). Post-hoc analyses stratified by gender followed similar patterns, aside from a negative but nonsignificant relationship between Internalization-Athletic and IES in men (b=–.16, p=.650). Conclusions These data suggest that internalization of general (i.e., thin) body image ideals may be more destructive to body satisfaction and adaptive eating styles in college students than athletic-ideal internalization. More research is needed to examine the role of athletic-ideal internalization on body image and eating behaviors.

Bonding With Parents, Body Image, and Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance as Predictors of Eating Disorders Among Young Girls.

A more holistic approach to treatment and prevention focuses on identifying the multiple risk and protective factors for eating disorders. However, there is a lack of research verifying the nature of the relationship between patterns of bonding with parents, sociocultural attitudes toward appearance, body image, and their role in developing or preventing eating disorders. The main aim of the study was to verify whether there is a specific set of risk or/vs. protective factors/measures for behaviors and dispositions related to the development of eating disorders. The study group consisted of 134 young Polish females (M = 14.92; SD = 1.349), with an average body mass index. The variables were measured using the Parental Bonding Instrument, the Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance Questionnaire-3, The Multidimensional Body–Self Relations Questionnaire, and the Eating Disorder Inventory 3. Stepwise regression analysis was applied. Statistical analysis showed that bonding with parents (including maternal overprotection), body image (including overweight pre-occupation, fitness evaluation, health orientation, and self-classified weight), and sociocultural attitudes toward appearance (such as searching for information, pressures, and internalization) are predictors of eating disorder risks. On the other hand, maternal and paternal care (aspects of patterns of bonding with parents), positive fitness evaluation, positive appearance evaluation, and satisfaction with one's body were found to be the most significant protective factors. The results may improve prevention and intervention aimed at increasing protective factors.

외모에 대한 사회문화적 태도의 내면화, 외모도구성과 신체이형장애 성향의 관계: 자기대상화의 매개효과와 자기개념의 다면성의 조절효과

본 연구는 외모에 대한 사회문화적 태도 내면화와 외모도구성이 신체이형장애 성향에 미치는 영향과 자기대상화의 매개효과를 검증하고, 자기대상화가 신체이형장애 성향에 미치는 영향이 자기개념 다면성에 의해 조절되는지를 알아보았다. 대학(원)생 443명을 대상으로 외모에 대한 사회문화적 태도-내면화척도(SATAQ-I), 외모도구성 척도(BVI-SI-A), 객체화 신체의식 척도(K-OBCS), 다면적 자기개념 검사(MSCI), 신체상 걱정 검사(BICI)를 실시하였다. 연구 결과, 외모에 대한 사회문화적 태도 내면화, 외모도 구성, 자기대상화, 신체이형장애 성향 간 정적 상관이, 자기개념 다면성과 그 외 모든 변인 간 부적 상관이 나타났다. 외모에 대한 사회문화적 태도 내면화와 외모도구성은 자기대상화를 매개로 신체이형장애 성향에 영향을 미쳤다. 자기개념에서 외모 이외 영역의 중요도 비중이 자기대상화의 신체이형장애 성향에 대한 영향을 조절할 것이라는 가설은 지지되지 않았으나, 사회적 자기의 중요도 비중이 외모에 대한 사회문화적 태도 내면화가 자기대상화에 미치는 영향을 조절하였다.

Senior Adults: Does Body Image Matter?

Through the theoretical framework of the Social Comparison Theory, the current study will examine general attitudes and perceptions of body image in senior adults who are currently participating in organized recreational activities. Participants between the ages of 50 years of age and older participating in organized recreational programs in the Southeast will be administered the Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance Scale (SATAQ) to measure participants’ body image as influenced by general media, athletic and sport figures, as well as pressure to conform to the media ideal. The Figure Rating Scale will be administered, and is composed of nine drawings of bodies that progressively increase in size from very thin to overweight. Pearson product moment coefficient of correlation will be used to determine the association of scores between the SATAQ and Figure Rating Scale.

Socio-Cultural Standards Promoted by the Mass Media as Predictors of Restrictive and Bulimic Behavior.

Research lacks in verifying the nature of the relationship between mass media pressure, body image, and the risk of unhealthy eating behaviors. This study aimed to investigate whether the internalization of sociocultural norms, perceived pressure or searching for information about body image promoted by the mass media directly affect restrictive and bulimic behavior toward eating, through the mediating role of body image and physical appearance variables. The research hypotheses were that (1, 2) body image, the pressure and the internalization of sociocultural norms are significant predictors of unhealthy eating behavior among women and men; and (3) the variables related to body image play the role of the mediating variable between the impact of socio-cultural standards of body image promoted by the mass media and unhealthy eating behavior. The sample comprised 514 Polish men and women, aged 16 to 63 old (men M=24.35; SD=13.53; women M=24.77; SD=7.61), with average Body Mass Index (BMI). Assessment comprised the Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance Scale (SATAQ-3), Eating Disorders Inventory (EDI 3), The Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ-AS), and the author’s survey questionnaire. The descriptive and comparative statistics, and a path analysis (structural equations modeling) were applied. The statistical analysis showed that the variables related to body image do not play the role of intermediary variables. The pressure of sociocultural standards of body image and physical appearance had the strongest and most direct effect on the development of restrictive eating behavior and appeared to negatively affect body image in women. The search of information on body image in the mass media had the strongest and most direct impact on the development of bulimic eating behavior among women. However, only the global internalization of sociocultural standards of body image and physical appearance had a significant and direct effect on the development of bulimic eating behavior in men. Moreover, the internalization of athletic body shape standards had the strongest and most positive impact on some aspects of body image in this group. No sociocultural variables showed a direct impact on restrictive behavior among studied men. BMI had a positive and direct impact on individual body part satisfaction. These results may help improve prevention of eating disorders and dysfunctional eating behavior.

Internalized Media-Promoted Body Ideals Only Marginally Moderate the Effects of Exercise on Self-Esteem, Body Image Satisfaction, and Physical Self-Perceptions

ABSTRACT Objective: To examine the moderating effect of internalized media messages on ideal body shape and lifestyle in the relationships between physical exercise, self-esteem, physical self-perceptions, and body image satisfaction. Design: pre-test/posttest control group experimental design. Methods: 46 inactive women (mean age = 21.4 ± 2.1 years-old) volunteered to participate in this study and were randomly assigned to Exercise (n = 23) or Wait-list (n = 23) groups. The Exercise group participated in two 50 minutes long exercise sessions per week for six weeks. During this period women in the Wait-list group did not participate in any regular physical activity. The French version of the Physical Self-Perception Profile (ISP-25) and the Body Image Assessment Scale (BIAS-BD) were administered to participants before and after intervention. In addition, the Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance Questionnaire (SATAQ) was completed to assess participants’ level of internalization of media standards. Results and Discussion: Women in the Exercise group improved more in outcomes than those in the Wait-list group. Effects were only marginally moderated by levels of media internalization. Potential explanations for these findings are reviewed and discussed.

Assessing the measurement invariance of a Latin-American Spanish translation of the Body Appreciation Scale-2 in Mexican, Argentinean, and Colombian adolescents

In order to advance in the study of positive body image among different cultures, it is important to create culturally appropriate measures. We examined the psychometric properties of a Latin-American Spanish translation of the Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2; Tylka & Wood-Barcalow, 2015a), specifically assessing measurement invariance using a large sample of 3845 male and female adolescents from Argentina, Mexico, and Colombia. Participants completed the BAS-2, Eating Disorder Inventory-2, Male Body Attitude Scale and the Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance Questionnaire-3. The BAS-2 had a unidimensional factor structure in each of the three samples. We confirmed the structural, metric, and scalar invariance of the scale regardless of gender or country. Adolescents in Argentina had lower body appreciation compared with those in Mexico and Colombia. Overall, females had lower body appreciation than males, with the greatest gender difference found in the Argentinean sample. Our findings strongly support the validity and reliability of this Latin-American translation of the BAS-2 in measuring positive body image in adolescents in Argentina, Mexico, and Colombia.

College students’ engagement in drunkorexia: Examining the role of sociocultural attitudes toward appearance, narcissism, and Greek affiliation

Drunkorexia is a term used to describe compensatory and calorie restriction behaviors that individuals engage in related to alcohol consumption. The present study examined the role of sociocultural attitudes toward appearance (internalization of the thin and muscular ideals, pressures from peers, family, media to modify appearance), narcissism (grandiose, vulnerable), and Greek life affiliation in drunkorexia behaviors among college students. This study involved 206 undergraduates who participated in the study in November and December 2017. Participants completed the Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance Questionnaire (SATAQ-4), the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI-16), the Hypersensitive Narcissism Scale (HSNS), the Compensatory Eating Behaviors Related to Alcohol Consumption Scale (CEBRACS), and health and demographic questions via Qualtrics. Hierarchical linear regressions indicated that internalization of the thin ideal was the strongest predictor of drunkorexia. Greek affiliation, pressure from peers, and internalization of the muscular ideal also emerged as predictors of drunkorexia dimensions. Notably, both internalization of the thin ideal and Greek affiliation were associated with drunkorexia across the alcohol effects and calorie compensation dimensions. Our results indicate that drunkorexia is a complex behavior pattern with multifaceted risk factors; therefore, individual and community-level factors should be considered in addressing this health-risk behavior.

The Relationship between SNS Involvement and Objectified Body Consciousness on College Students: The Mediating Effect of Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance

The Relationship between SNS Involvement and Objectified Body Consciousness on College Students: The Mediating Effect of Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance