Dissatisfaction with total body parts was linked to predictors from each domain. As seen from the correlations in the first column of Table 4, regarding the biological domain, high body dissatisfaction was linked to high body mass index (a small effect). Regarding the psychological domain, high body dissatisfaction was linked to low self-esteem (a medium effect), high perfectionism (a small effect), and high external locus of control (a small effect). And, regarding the sociocultural domain, high body dissatisfaction was linked to high perceived pressure to be thin from support network members, high perceived pressure to be thin from the media, and high perceived pressure to be muscular from the media (all small effects).
Physique anxiety also was linked bivariately to variables from each domain. As seen from the correlations in the second column of Table 4, regarding the biological domain, high physique anxiety was linked to high body mass index (a small effect). Regarding the psychological domain, high physique anxiety was linked to low self-esteem (a large effect), high perfectionism (a medium effect), and high external locus of control (a medium effect). And, regarding the sociocultural domain, high physique anxiety was linked to high perceived pressure to be thin from support network members (a medium effect), high perceived pressure to be thin from the media (a medium effect), and high perceived pressure to be muscular from the media (a small effect).
Because dissatisfaction with one’s body is a reliable predictor of disordered eating, depression, impaired sexual functioning, and diminished quality of life (Cash, Morrow, Hrabosky, & Perry, 2004), identifying the predictors of body dissatisfaction has practical significance. Previous research indicates that body dissatisfaction is complexly determined in that it is linked to risk factors from biological, psychological, and sociocultural domains.
The biological factor most frequently linked to body dissatisfaction is body mass index (BMI) which is the ratio of weight to height-squared. BMI has been found to be positively correlated with body dissatisfaction for female children, adolescents, and adults (Fingeret and Gleaves, 2004, Kostanski et al., 2004 and Presnell et al., 2003).
Three psychological factors have been linked to body dissatisfaction. Self esteem has been negatively correlated with body dissatisfaction for adolescent females (Furnham, Badmin, & Sneade, 2002), adult women (Fingeret & Gleaves, 2004), and adult men (Silberstein, Striegel-Moore, Timko, & Rodin, 1988). Perfectionism has been positively correlated with a desire for a body that is high in muscle mass for adult men (Davis, Karvinen, & McCreary, 2005) and to body dissatisfaction for female college students (Pearson & Gleaves, 2006). Finally, external locus of control has been positively correlated with body dissatisfaction for both male and female college students (Pokrajac-Bulian & Zivicic-Becirevic, 2005).
