Personality and body image have been shown to correlate. Body image includes two main components, namely perceptual, i.e., self-perception of body size, and attitudinal, i.e., evaluation of body attractiveness. However, few studies have examined personality variables as temporal antecedents and correlates of each body image component, in nonclinical adolescents, in order to determine whether or not they differ. The present 5-wave longitudinal study aimed to inspect the personality variables as temporal antecedents of body image components across time, in nonclinical adolescents. A previous study on nonclinical adolescents supported the 2 components of body image underlying attitudinal, i.e. the Body Uneasiness Test scales, and perceptual measures, i.e. the Contour Drawing Rating Scales and the discrepancy indices for ideal body mass index. For the present study, regression factor scores were used as indicators of body image components. Participants were teenagers aged from 14 to 18 (N = 97, 63.9% boys) who participated at baseline and were followed up 6-month apart for 2-yr. They self-reported on Eating Disorder Inventory-2 Ineffectiveness and Perfectionism scales, Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory for Adolescence Obsessiveness and Depression scales, and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scales (global and reflected). Results from hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed that Obsessiveness was a stable predictor of increases in attitudinal domain, i.e. negative attitudes toward body, after 6, 18 and 24 months, whereas Depression predicted obese body weight and shape perceptions along with thinner ideal weight and shape, i.e. perceptual domain, after 1-yr only. Overall, results showed that the components of body image have different predictors by revealing that obsessiveness played a role in predicting the attitudinal domain, while depression anticipated the perceptual domain. Consistent with previous studies, our findings demonstrate that obsessiveness is the most robust predictor of negative attitudes towards the body in nonclinical adolescents over time, which has clinical implications for prevention programs.

A FIVE-WAVE PROSPECTIVE STUDY ON PERSONALITY AND BODY IMAGE IN NON-CLINICAL ADOLESCENTS

Elide Francesca De Caro
2022-01-01

Abstract

Personality and body image have been shown to correlate. Body image includes two main components, namely perceptual, i.e., self-perception of body size, and attitudinal, i.e., evaluation of body attractiveness. However, few studies have examined personality variables as temporal antecedents and correlates of each body image component, in nonclinical adolescents, in order to determine whether or not they differ. The present 5-wave longitudinal study aimed to inspect the personality variables as temporal antecedents of body image components across time, in nonclinical adolescents. A previous study on nonclinical adolescents supported the 2 components of body image underlying attitudinal, i.e. the Body Uneasiness Test scales, and perceptual measures, i.e. the Contour Drawing Rating Scales and the discrepancy indices for ideal body mass index. For the present study, regression factor scores were used as indicators of body image components. Participants were teenagers aged from 14 to 18 (N = 97, 63.9% boys) who participated at baseline and were followed up 6-month apart for 2-yr. They self-reported on Eating Disorder Inventory-2 Ineffectiveness and Perfectionism scales, Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory for Adolescence Obsessiveness and Depression scales, and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scales (global and reflected). Results from hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed that Obsessiveness was a stable predictor of increases in attitudinal domain, i.e. negative attitudes toward body, after 6, 18 and 24 months, whereas Depression predicted obese body weight and shape perceptions along with thinner ideal weight and shape, i.e. perceptual domain, after 1-yr only. Overall, results showed that the components of body image have different predictors by revealing that obsessiveness played a role in predicting the attitudinal domain, while depression anticipated the perceptual domain. Consistent with previous studies, our findings demonstrate that obsessiveness is the most robust predictor of negative attitudes towards the body in nonclinical adolescents over time, which has clinical implications for prevention programs.
2022
978-84-1122-706-3
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11368/3037887
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