Marital status, marital satisfaction, and body image dissatisfaction.
OBJECTIVE
This study examined whether married individuals have comparable body image disturbance to nonmarried individuals and whether the quality of a marital relationship is significantly related to body image disturbance in a sample of dieters.


METHODS
Measures of marital status, marital satisfaction, and body dissatisfaction were administered to a sample of 16,377 subjects who had tried to lose weight at least once within the previous 3 years.


RESULTS
Marital status was not associated with increased body dissatisfaction. Marital satisfaction was significantly related to body dissatisfaction when controlling for age, body mass index, self-esteem, and gender.


CONCLUSIONS
Body dissatisfaction occurs at comparable levels among married and single individuals and the study of marital functioning among eating-disordered individuals represents a large gap in the literature.
Friedman
M A
MA
Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8205, USA.
Dixon
A E
AE
Brownell
K D
KD
Whisman
M A
MA
Wilfley
D E
DE
D000328:Adult; D001828:Body Image; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage / Q000523:psychology*; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D012649:Self Concept; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*