مقایسه اجتماعی، نظرات مربوط به ظاهر ، عزت نفس مشروط و ارتباط آنها با نارضایتی از بدن و اختلال خوردن در زنان

This study examined social comparisons, appearance related comments and contingent self-esteem, and their relationships with body dissatisfaction and eating disturbance in young adult women. Importantly, the role of both positive and negative appearance related comments, and upward and downward comparisons, were investigated. A self-report questionnaire assessing each of these variables was completed by one hundred and ninety-six women aged 18–35. A higher frequency of negative comments and contingent self-esteem were associated with higher upward comparisons, and more positive comments were associated with higher downward comparisons. Overall, social comparisons were shown to be more important than verbal commentary and contingent self-esteem. More upward comparisons and less downward comparisons uniquely predicted higher body dissatisfaction and eating disturbance. In addition, negative appearance comments were found to be more salient than positive comments. Negative comments and contingent self-esteem uniquely predicted more eating disturbance but positive comments were not a predictor of body dissatisfaction or eating disturbance. Longitudinal studies are now required to establish the direction of these relationships and to more fully examine the interplay among the factors. In addition, given that our study only assessed self-reported social comparisons, our findings need to be validated against experimental methods.

Increasingly women are displaying alarming levels of body dissatisfaction and symptoms of disordered eating (Monro and Huon, 2005 and Wardle et al., 2001). Extreme dieting (i.e., purging and laxative use for weight loss) and binge eating are forms of eating disturbance, which have become highly prevalent among females (Hudson et al., 2007 and Vartanian et al., 2001). Body dissatisfaction is also associated with obesity and depression (Darby et al., 2007 and Wiederman and Pryor, 2000), social anxiety (Cash & Fleming, 2002) and eating disorders (Stice, 2002), as well as potentially harmful weight loss strategies, which include extreme dieting, self-induced vomiting, laxative misuse, use of diet pills, and excessive exercise (Darby et al., 2007).