This study examined the role of media body comparison as a mediator of the relationships between psychological factors and sociocultural pressures to be thin and body dissatisfaction in both females and males. Participants were 1,386 females (mean age = 19.37 years) and 1,130 males (mean age = 19.46) from diverse backgrounds who completed a self-report questionnaire. Path analysis was used to test a cross-sectional model in which media body comparison mediated the impact of self-esteem, depressive mood, parent dieting environment, friend dieting, TV exposure, magazine message exposure, weight teasing and body mass index (BMI) on body dissatisfaction. In females, media body comparison partially or fully mediated relationships between self-esteem, depressive mood, friend dieting, magazine message exposure and BMI, and body dissatisfaction. In males, media body comparison was not a significant predictor of body dissatisfaction. This research particularly highlights the need to further examine processes that are involved in the development of body dissatisfaction in males.
A substantial research literature now attests to the negative distress caused by body dissatisfaction in both females and males, as well as its association with low self-esteem and depressive symptoms (Keery, van den Berg, & Thompson, 2004; Paxton, Neumark-Sztainer, Hannan, & Eisenberg, 2006; Wichstrom, 1999), and the development of unhealthy dieting behaviours and disordered eating (e.g., Neumark-Sztainer, Paxton, Hannan, Haines, & Story, 2006; Stice, 2002). Research indicates that individual attributes, such as low self-esteem and depressive mood as well as higher body mass index (BMI) are risk factors for increases in body dissatisfaction (e.g., Field et al., 2001; Paxton, Eisenberg, & Neumark-Sztainer, 2006; Presnell, Bearman, & Stice, 2004). In addition, sociocultural pressures, such as exposure to idealized media figures, family and peer dieting, pressures to be thin, and weight teasing have been shown to be risk factors for increases in body dissatisfaction (e.g., Field et al., 2001; Groesz, Levine, & Murnen, 2002; Paxton, Eisenberg et al., 2006; Stice & Whitenton, 2002). Recently, attention has turned to examination of cognitive processes that may contribute to the development of body dissatisfaction. More specifically, researchers have investigated cognitive processes that may mediate the relationships between individual and sociocultural factors and the development of body dissatisfaction (Cash, 2002; Williamson, Stewart, White, & York-Crowe, 2002). The present research explores this issue by examining media body comparison as a potential mediator of individual and sociocultural factors and body dissatisfaction in both females and males.
