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Self-to-others and self-to-self relationships: paths to understanding the valence of body image and eating attitudes in emerging adult women

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Eating and Weight Disorders - Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Interpersonal and intrapersonal factors contributing to body appreciation in emerging adult women remain poorly explored. Thus, the present study aimed to test the impact of early memories of warmth and safeness with peers, self-compassion, and social safeness, in body appreciation and in disordered eating attitudes and behaviours.

Methods

A total of 387 women aged between 18 and 25 completed a set of self-report questionnaires. Data were analysed through descriptive and correlation statistics, and the suitability of a theoretical model was explored via path analysis. Self-report instruments assessed participants’ weight and height, early memories of warmth and safeness with peers, self-compassion, social safeness, body appreciation, as well as disordered eating.

Results

Early memories of warmth and safeness with peers associated with higher self-compassion and feelings of social safeness, which were both positively linked to body appreciation. Body appreciation associated with a lower display of disordered eating.

Conclusion

It seems that childhood and adolescent experiences may have an important influence on the development of self-to-self and self-to-others secure relationships, with consequences on the way women behave and relate with their unique body characteristics. The pertinence of developing self-compassion and affiliative skills to promote positive body image among females is suggested, as well as of applying compassion-based strategies when clinically approaching symptoms of eating disorders.

Level of evidence

Cross-sectional descriptive study, Level V.

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Funding

Research by Joana Marta-Simões is supported by a Ph.D. Grant (SFRH/BD/120095/2016) sponsored by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), the Human Capital Operational Programme (POCH) and the European Union (UE).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CINEICC, Centre for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive Behavioural Intervention, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Coimbra, Rua do Colégio Novo, Apartado 6153, 3001-802, Coimbra, Portugal

    Joana Marta-Simões & Cláudia Ferreira

Authors
  1. Joana Marta-Simões
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  2. Cláudia Ferreira
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Correspondence to Joana Marta-Simões.

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Conflict of interest

Authors Joana Marta-Simões and Cláudia Ferreira declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All procedures followed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation (institutional and national) and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2000.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all patients for being included in the study.

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Marta-Simões, J., Ferreira, C. Self-to-others and self-to-self relationships: paths to understanding the valence of body image and eating attitudes in emerging adult women. Eat Weight Disord 25, 399–406 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-018-0612-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-018-0612-0

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