scholarly journals Self-reported body weight and weight-related stigmatization experiences among young adult women—two contexts, but similar attitudes related to body image, mental self-schemas, self-esteem, and stereotypes of people with obesity

PeerJ ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. e12047
Author(s):  
Łukasz Jach ◽  
Sonia Krystoń

Background Weight stigma is a serious challenge because of its negative impact on human health and harmful psychological and behavioral consequences. The aim of the study was to explore and compare the relationships between self-reported body weight and weight-related stigmatization experiences and body image, mental self-image, self-esteem, and stereotypes concerning people with obesity among young adult Polish women (N = 374; aged between 18 and 35). Methods The study was conducted online on a Polish sample recruited through a social network site, a website, and snowball sampling. Body mass index (BMI) was used to assign the respondents to groups with normal or excess weight. We tested whether women enrolled in the study experienced weight-related stigmatization using two questions based on the concepts of spoiled identity and related to the obesity stigma. The Contour Drawing Rating Scale was used to study different aspects of the body image and discrepancies between them. The Self-Discrepancy Questionnaire was used to study the self-schemas associated with mental qualities. The Polish version of the Rosenberg’s Self Esteem Scale was applied to determine self-esteem level. Stereotypes concerning people with obesity were studied using the semantic differential method. Results Although excess weight was associated with weight-related stigmatization experiences, many women reported confronting such stigmatization even though their body weight was normal according to the World Health Organization (WHO) standards. Women with excess weight and women with weight-related stigmatization experiences were characterized by larger discrepancies between the actual body image and the ideal, reflected, and ought body image, lower self-esteem, and more negative beliefs about their mental actual and reflected self compared to women with normal weight and without weight-related stigmatization experiences. The study participants from all groups tended to believe their actual body image to be ampler than the ideal and the ought body images. They also believed that other people perceived their mental qualities more positively than they did. The study groups were also characterized by negative stereotypes of people with obesity, although these stereotypes were more vital in women with excess weight and women who experienced weight-related stigmatization. Conclusion The study shows the similarity between psychological functioning of women with self-reported excess weight and those who experience weight-related stigma. The results also provide guidelines for practical actions aimed at reducing negative mental outcomes associated with not conforming to body weight standards.

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 173-195
Author(s):  
A.G. Faustova ◽  
I.S. Vinogradova

Diagnostic and therapeutic procedures used in various oncological diseases are often accompanied by the unwanted and uncontrolled appearance defects. The presence of an acquired visible difference is a significant source of stress, which is often ignored. The aim of the study was to explore the relationship between self-attitude and body image satisfaction in women with alopecia undergoing chemotherapy for cancer of the reproductive system. The study involved 20 women (mean age 52,15 years) without alopecia who start a course of chemotherapy treatment, and 20 women (mean age 51,55 years) with alopecia provoked by 10-40 courses of chemotherapy. An empirical study was conducted at the Ryazan Regional Clinical Oncology Center. Respondents were asked to fill out the Scale for assessing the level of satisfaction with the own body (O.A. Skugarevsky), the Self-Attitude Questionnaire (S.R. Pantileev), and to perform the projective technique “Human Figure Drawing” (K. Machover, F. Goodenough). Based on the obtained empirical data, specific regression models were revealed for each sample, demonstrating the dependence of self-attitude on the self-assessment of various components of the body image. In the experimental group of patients without alopecia, an adaptive level of self-acceptance is underlied by the high self-esteem of the external appearance of the chest (p=0,028), ears (p=0,039), and hair (p=0,017). Self-attachment among respondents in this group is determined by self-esteem of the abdomen (p=0,037). In the experimental group of patients with alopecia, other components of self-attitude were the most significant. The level of self-accusation is determined by the self-esteem of the pelvic region (p=0,048), ears (p=0,043), and hair (p=0,047). The reflected Self-attitude is determined to self-esteem of the chest (p=0,029), back (p=0,032), and arms (p=0,027). The patterns revealed in each sample are confirmed by the results of the projective technique “Human Figure Drawing”. Women with cancer of the reproductive organs, both before and after chemotherapy, mainly pay attention to those components of the body image that are associated with femininity and physical attractiveness, as well as those that undergo severe changes in the process of radical treatment.


2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 40
Author(s):  
Arman Hj Ahmad ◽  
Izian Idris ◽  
Regina Moy Li Jing

Introduction: With the rise and fall of many communication platforms embedded into our everyday lives and the on-going maturity of the digitalization era, social media usage has tremendously increased over the past decade. The purpose of this research is to identify to what extent self-esteem and the influence of friends’ impact children's perception of their body image through social media and how powerful social media in influencing the body image of children.Methodology: The theoretical implication of this study is to expand the usage of Signalling theory, Sociocultural theory and Social Comparison theory towards better explaining children’s behaviours and the factors that impact children view of their body image. 282 children were recruited using the snowball sampling technique and data collected were analysed using Smart-PLS to see the impacts and relationship between all variables.Results: This study found that the self-esteem and friends do impacts body comparison on social media. However, the self-esteem is negatively correlated. The study also identified that there is a significance direct relationship between the direct impacts of self-esteem and friends towards the body image. On the other hand, the social media is found to have no direct impact on body image.Conclusion/- and Recommendations: This study provides a better insight for the government on the importance of regulation of advertisements particularly via social media and for the society at large to create a more socially supportive environment for adolescents to communicate and help them grow their mind-set on the acceptable and realistic standards of beauty as well as contributes to the existing knowledge on the role of social media and adds knowledge to how powerful social media in giving impacts to body image among adolescences.


Author(s):  
Amrit Virk ◽  
Parmal Singh

Background: Body image refers to how individuals think, feel and behave in relation to their body and appearance. During adolescence self-perception about their appearance is important to the development of self-esteem and is also understood to be an important predictor of self-worth. Research has shown that inappropriate perception of the body image and dissatisfaction can lead to physical and psychic problems in the youth. In today's society, with the growing sense of ideal body image, adolescents and young adults try to lose or gain body weight to attain perfect body. The objective of the study is to find out the proportion of students dissatisfied with their body image, and the association of various determinants with body image dissatisfaction and self-esteem.  Methods: A cross-sectional study was done among 125 first year medical students located in rural Haryana. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data on various determinants associated with body image dissatisfaction and self-esteem.Results: Body image dissatisfaction was present among 16.8% of the students. Low self-esteem was observed among 21.6% of the students. Low body mass index (<18.5) was found to be significantly associated with body image dissatisfaction. A moderately positive correlation (r=0.384, p<0.001) was observed between self-esteem and body image satisfaction.Conclusions: Study findings support the fact that body image dissatisfaction has its impact on self-esteem among college-going youth. It is imperative that effective interventions be planned to educate the youth on ideal body weight and protect this young generation from pressures and consequences of negative body image.


2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rina Saraswati ◽  
Nur Hasanah ◽  
Muhammad Basirun Al Ummah

Introduction: The self-concept is all thoughts, beliefs and faiths that make the person know about him and affect his contact with others. Usually self-concept of pulmonary tuberculosis patients is impaired resulting from physical changes such as becoming physically thinner, paler, frequent coughing, body weaknesses and decrease of physical ability. Based on preliminary studies on eight respondents 75% experiencing body image disorder, 75% self-ideal disorder, 100% self-role disorder, 50% self-esteem disorder.The aim of this researrch is to determine self-concept of pulmonary tuberculosis patients in PKU Muhammadiyah Hospital of Gombong.The present study used descriptive quantitative method with survey approach. The total samples were 31 people taken by purposive sampling technique. The data were taken by questionnaires and analyzed using univariate analysis.The frequency distribution based on the self-concept were less (83.9%), mediocre (9.7%), and good category (6.5%). The body image were less (83.9%), mediocre (9.7%), good (6.5%). The self-ideal were less (90.3%), and mediocre category (9.7%). Personal identity were less (58.1%), enough (22.6%), and good category (19.4%). The self-role were less (54.8%), good (25.8%), and mediocre category (19.4%). Self-esteem were less (51.6%), mediocre (32.3%), and good category (16.1%).The largest percentage of the self-concept, body image, self-ideal, personal identity, self-role, and self-esteem of pulmonary tuberculosis patients was less category. Keywords: self-concept, body image, self-ideal, personal identity, self-role, self-esteem, pulmonary tuberculosis patients 


2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Endang Dwi Ningsih ◽  
Aan Jana

AbstractOverwight and obesity could be defined as over accumulation of the human bodyfat. Fatover accumulation could be more than 50% than total of bodyweight is consequency inseriouse patologies happened. When growing old, it is declining normally the bodymetabolism and cause the bodyfat storing. Personal views and attitude to effects infeeding. In every person feeding could be effected by some conditions as mood, mentally,personality, self esteem and body image, perseption in bodyshape that be affected byculture, external factors and social context in attitude towards feeding. Regarding of thebackground, the researcher interested to do a study the relation of the obesity with thebody image and the self-esteem on the people of Gajahwongan Village Canden SambiBoyolali. Purpose of the study to know the relation the obesity with the body image andthe self- esteem on the people of Gajahwongan Village Canden Sambi Boyolali.Subjects the 38 obesity villager of Gajahwongan Village Canden Sambi Boyolali. Thesampling technique to be used is saturated sampling inwhich all of the population to beused as sample.The result of multivariat test by double regresi logistic test showed the Negelkerke valueR Square 34,8%. Conclusion of the Research result shows that the obesity variable beaffected by 34,8% variable of the body image and the self-esteem and the rest balance65,2% variable be affected by external of research.Keywords: Obesity, Body Image and Self-Esteem


1994 ◽  
Vol 75 (3) ◽  
pp. 1339-1343 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renee McAllister ◽  
Marie Louise Caltabiano

The self-esteem of 69 women attending weight-loss centres was examined in relation to attitudes towards body and weight, actual weight, number of diets undergone and weight fluctuations. Rosenberg's Self-esteem Scale was used to measure self-esteem. Attitudes towards the body and weight were assessed using Freedman's Body-Love Questionnaire. The Body Mass Index was used as a weight-range classification for the women. Body image was assessed using the silhouette chart of Bell, Kirkpatrick, and Rinn. Women with stable weight had the highest self-esteem. The number of diets undertaken was associated with lowered self-esteem. High scores on evaluation of appearance were positively correlated with scores on self-esteem. No association was found between self-esteem and either eating restraint or significant others' attitudes. There was good agreement between the women's perceptions of their own bodies and independent raters' perceptions indicating a lack of body-image distortion for this noneating-disordered group.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lara Maister ◽  
Sophie De Beukelaer ◽  
Matthew Longo ◽  
Manos Tsakiris

How do we ‘see’ ourselves in our mind’s eye? The question of how we represent our self has been at the centre of cultural practices across centuries, as the long tradition of self-portraits attests, and at the centre of our understanding of mental health issues such as body-image disorders. By implementing a reverse-correlation technique to measure self-representations, we were able to visualise participants’ mental images of both their faces and their body-shapes in a data-driven, unconstrained way, allowing us to visually depict how the self is ‘seen’ in our minds. Our technique was successful, revealing ‘self-portraits’ which were strikingly accurate. However, importantly, we discovered that the facial features of the self-portraits also contained ‘clues’ to each person’s self-reported personality traits, which were reliably detected by external observers. Finally, the higher the participants’ self-esteem with regards to social interactions, the more accurate and true-to-life their self-portraits were. Unlike the facial self-portraits, the body-shape portraits had negligible direct relationships with individuals’ actual body shape, but as with faces, they were significantly influenced by people’s beliefs and emotions; individuals with lower body self-esteem visually represented their bodies as wider. Together, our findings show how psychological beliefs and attitudes about one’s self bias the perceptual representation of one’s appearance, and provide a unique revealing window to into the internal mental representation of one’s self, with important implications for mental health and visual culture.


2015 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 74-78
Author(s):  
Monika Guszkowska

Abstract Introduction. The aim of the study was to compare the image of the body, the level of its acceptance and satisfaction with it, as well as anxiety about one’s physical appearance and overall self-esteem in a group of adult women who did fitness exercise and those who were physically inactive. Material and methods. The study involved 464 women aged 18 to 35 years (M=25.49; SD=5.24), including 277 women who exercised regularly in fitness clubs in Warsaw and 187 women who did not engage in regular physical activity. The following instruments were adapted and used for the purposes of the study: the Figure Rating Scale, the Body Satisfaction Scale, the Self-Esteem Scale, the Social Physique Anxiety Scale, and a questionnaire designed by the authors. Student’s t-test was used to determine the differences between the two groups. Results. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups in terms of actual and ideal body parameters; however, the discrepancies between actual and ideal height and BMI were greater in women who were not physically active. The women who did fitness exercise were less dissatisfied with their overall and facial appearance, and they had higher self-esteem and lower anxiety about their physical appearance that those who were inactive. No significant intergroup differences were found for the subjects’ ideal and actual figures or for those preferred by women and preferred by men, nor for the discrepancies between these figures. Conclusions. Differences in the body image of adult women who did fitness exercise and those who were physically inactive were revealed for the emotional aspects of body image, but not for the cognitive ones. The differences found in the study are likely to be due to the selection of subjects and they do not provide sufficient evidence to prove that exercise has a positive impact on body image.


Author(s):  
Ana Prates ◽  
Ruffo Freitas-Junior ◽  
Mariana Prates ◽  
Márcia Veloso ◽  
Norami Barros

Objective The objective of this study was to investigate the self-esteem of women with and without breast cancer regarding their body image. Methods A quantitative, case-control study in which 90 women with breast cancer were evaluated in the case group, and 77 women without breast cancer in the control group. For data collection, the body satisfaction scale (BSS), a scale adapted and validated in Brazil, and the Rosenberg self-esteem questionnaire were used. For the statistical analysis of the data, the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software (IBM-SPSS, Chicago, Il, US), version 16.0 was used. Results Compared with the women without breast cancer, those with breast cancer were more dissatisfied with body image related to appearance. Women undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy were more dissatisfied with their appearance compared with those with cancer who were not undergoing this treatment. Mastectomy also accounted for more dissatisfaction concerning appearance among women who underwent the procedure compared with the women who were submitted to breast-conserving therapy. Conclusion Women with breast cancer were more dissatisfied with their body image compared with those without breast cancer, particularly following mastectomy or during chemotherapy. The self-esteem was found to be negatively affected in patients who were dissatisfied with their body image.


2011 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 553-561 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ferudun Dorak

The aim in this study was to examine the relationship between self-esteem and body image in female adolescents who are athletes or nonathletes. Adolescent girls (N = 477) between the ages of 12 and 14 participated in the research in İzmir, Turkey. The self-esteem survey developed by Coopersmith (1967) and the Body Cathexis Scale developed by Secord and Jourard (1953) were used in the study. The findings obtained show that there is a significantly stronger relationship between self-esteem and body image in the athletic adolescent girls compared with the sedentary girls (p < 0.05).


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