Dataset Information

Body dissatisfaction in adolescent boys.

ABSTRACT: 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).

SUBMITTER: Baker JH

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6586497 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Body dissatisfaction in adolescent boys.

Baker Jessica H JH Higgins Neyland M K MK Thornton Laura M LM Runfola Cristin D CD Larsson Henrik H Lichtenstein Paul P Bulik Cynthia C

Developmental psychology 20190415 7

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 al ...[more]

PMID: 30985163

Similar Datasets

Project description:ObjectiveLittle is known about how female adolescent ballet dancers-a group at high-risk for the development of body dissatisfaction and eating disorders-construct body ideals, and how their social identities interact with body ideals to confer risk for disordered eating. Using a novel body figure behavioral task, this study investigated (1) whether degree of body dissatisfaction corresponded to severity of disordered eating thoughts and behaviors, and (2) how ballet identity corresponded with ideal body figure size among adolescent ballet dancers.MethodsParticipants were 188 female ballet dancers ages 13-18 years who completed self-report measures of study constructs and the behavioral task.ResultsLinear regression models indicated that more severe body dissatisfaction was positively associated with increased disordered eating thoughts and behaviors (p < .19), except for muscle building (p = .32). We also found that identifying more strongly as a ballet dancer was correlated with having a smaller ideal body size (p = .017).ConclusionFindings from this study suggest desire to achieve smaller body sizes is correlated with more severe disordered eating endorsement and stronger ballet identity. Instructors and clinicians may consider assessing the extent to which individuals identify as a ballet dancer as a risk factor for disordered eating and encourage adolescent dancers to build and nurture other identities beyond ballet.Public significanceEating disorders are debilitating conditions that can lead to malnutrition, social isolation, and even premature death. Though disordered eating thoughts and behaviors can affect anyone, adolescents in physically demanding and body image-driven activities including ballet dance are particularly vulnerable. Investigating how factors like body dissatisfaction and strength of identity are associated with disordered eating among high-risk groups is crucial for developing effective prevention and intervention methods that minimize harm.

Project description:In the current paper, two different studies were designed to investigate body image dissatisfaction and perception of the attractive female body in Chinese and Croatian women and men using the correlational and experimental study research approach. Study 1 comprised 266 Chinese (160 women; 106 men) and 261 Croatian participants (161 women; 100 men). Women from both countries were asked to complete the measures of the Contour Rating Scale, SATAQ - 4, Body Area Scale and demographic data, while men were asked to complete the measures of the Contour Rating Scale and demographic data via online surveys. The obtained results indicated that thin internalization predicted body image dissatisfaction in both samples. Besides, while both samples scored relatively high on thin-ideal internalization, Chinese women, who were also in general less satisfied with their body image, had higher scores. Chinese women also scored higher on musculature internalization and felt more pressure from family, friends, and media to conform to standard beauty norms compared to Croatian women. The samples also differed in their perceptions of preferable body size, where Chinese women had a more negative perception of their actual body size. The obtained results furthermore revealed that Chinese men preferred thinner women compared to Croatian men. Moreover, both samples misjudged what their female counterparts found attractive, thinking that women wanted to have even thinner bodies than they actually reported. Similarly, women from both cultures revealed a preference for thinner figures than the ones selected as the most attractive by the opposite sex. Finally, in Study 2, experimental manipulation of thin-ideal was used to examine whether thin priming affected body image dissatisfaction. The obtained results revealed that when primed with thin-ideal women from both countries felt lower satisfaction with their body size. The observed effect was stronger for Chinese participants. Limitations of the current study are discussed in the conclusion.

Dataset Information

Body dissatisfaction in adolescent boys.

Publications

Body dissatisfaction in adolescent boys.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets