MULTILEVEL MODELS FOR EXPLORING WITHIN-PERSON VARIATION IN BODY IMAGE-RELATED FACTORS AND COVARIATION WITH PERSONALITY VARIABLES

Introduction: Empirical studies have shown that there is a relationship between personality and body image (BI). However, they have mainly focused on adults and inter-individual differences. Less is known about intra-individual covariations between personality and BI-related components, i.e. attitudinal (evaluation of body attractiveness) and perceptual (self-perception of the body) in adolescents and over time. Aim: The present 5-wave longitudinal study aimed to investigate how intra-individual changes in BI -related components and personality variables covary over time in non-clinical adolescents. Methods: A previous study of ours on non-clinical adolescents supported a two-dimensional model underlying BI attitudinal, i.e. the Body Uneasiness Test scales, and perceptual measures, i.e. the Contour Drawing Rating Scales and the discrepancy indices for the ideal body mass index. In the present study, regression factor scores were used as indicators for BI-related factors. Participants were teenagers aged 14 to 18 years (N = 97, 63.9% boys) who took part at baseline and were followed up 6-month apart, over 2 years. They completed self-report measures on the Eating Disorder Inventory-2 Ineffectiveness and Perfectionism scales, the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory for Adolescence Obsessiveness and Depression scales, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Results: Multilevel modelling results showed that both attitudinal and perceptual BI did not change over time. When examining covariations with personality variables, the results showed that intra-individual changes in attitudinal component positively covaried with Perfectionism and Depression, while no predictors emerged for the perceptual domain. Discussion and conclusions: Our findings contribute to extend previous studies on perfectionism and depression as correlates of negative attitudes towards the body by showing that they also covary intra-individually over 2 years in adolescents. Understanding the construct of BI and the factors that might influence its domains has clinical implications for prevention programs.