Psychological topics, Vol. 14. No. 1., 2005.
Original scientific paper
Body dissatisfaction and eating habits in college students and their mothers
Alessandra Pokrajac-Buliac
Ivanka Živčić-Bećirević
Sandra Vukmanović
Gordon Forbes
Abstract
Body dissatisfaction plays a significant role in the development of eating disorders. The aim of the research was to assess dissatisfaction with own body image, satisfaction with specific body parts and body functions and eating habits in college women and their mothers. Mothers also made a retrospective assessment about their feelings at their daughter's age. 73 college women from the University of Rijeka and their mothers participated in the research. Body dissatisfaction was measured by the Figure Rating Scale (Stunkard, Sorenson, & Schlusinger, 1983) and Body Esteem Scale (BES; Franzoi & Shields, 1984.). Participants also completed the Awareness and Internalisation Scales from the Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance Questionnaire (SATAQ, Heinberg, Thompson & Stormer, 1995) and the Eating Attitude Test (EAT-26; Garner & Garfinkel, 1982). Compared to their mothers, students showed higher internalisation of cultural standards of the thin body ideal. They are also more satisfied with their sexual attractiveness. Mothers at their daughters' age showed higher awareness and internalisation of the societal norms about thin body ideal. They were also less concerned about their weight and more satisfied with their body condition and body image, compared to their daughters. Awareness and internalisation of societal standards, as well as weight concern are significant predictors of disordered eating habits in students, while the internalisation of societal standards and satisfaction with sexual
attractiveness are significant predictors in mothers. Weight concern is the only significant predictor in mothers at their daughters' age. The results are discussed in the context of cohort effect.
Keywords
body dissatisfaction; awareness and internalisation of the thin body ideal; generation differences; body mass index
Hrčak ID:
4829
URI
Publication date:
1.7.2005.
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