A prospective study of familial and social influences on girls' body image and dieting.
OBJECTIVE
This study examines the emergence of body image concerns and dieting behaviors in early adolescence as a function of girls' perceptions of family relationships, maternal modeling of dieting behaviors and body image concerns, and familial and peer pressures to diet.


METHODS
Self-report measures were obtained from 77 White girls and their mothers in early adolescence (mean age = 12.3 years) and 1 year later.


RESULTS
Girls' perceptions of family relations and mothers' perceptions of daughters' weight at Time 1 significantly predicted girls' dieting behavior 1 year later over and above Time 1 dieting and body image. Only girls' previous body image and dieting behaviors significantly predicted more body dissatisfaction 1 year later. Girls' body image was found to mediate the relationship between family relations and dieting at Time 1 assessment, but not over time.


CONCLUSIONS
The importance of implementing early prevention and interventions programs is discussed.
Byely
L
L
St. John's University, Queens, New York.
Archibald
A B
AB
Graber
J
J
Brooks-Gunn
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000328:Adult; D001828:Body Image; D002648:Child; D004038:Diet, Reducing; D005195:Family Relations; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012649:Self Concept