title: Body dissatisfaction and body comparison with media images in males and females.
abstract: 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.
authors: University of Minnesota, United States. vande485@umn.edu
authors: Patricia
authors: P
authors: van den Berg
authors: Susan J
authors: SJ
authors: Paxton
authors: Helene
authors: H
authors: Keery
authors: Melanie
authors: M
authors: Wall
authors: Jia
authors: J
authors: Guo
authors: Dianne
authors: D
authors: Neumark-Sztainer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D001828:Body Image; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D004038:Diet, Reducing / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008402:Mass Media; D008960:Models, Psychological; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011287:Prejudice; D012649:Self Concept; D012737:Sex Factors; D012945:Social Values; D013851:Thinness / Q000523:psychology*