Predictors of vulnerability to reduced body image satisfaction and psychological wellbeing in response to exposure to idealized female media images in adolescent girls

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Abstract

Predictors of change in body satisfaction, depressed mood, anxiety and anger, were examined following exposure to idealized female advertising images in Grades 7 and 10 girls. Stable body dissatisfaction, physical appearance comparison tendency, internalization of thin ideal, self-esteem, depression, identity confusion and body mass index (BMI) were assessed. One week later, participants viewed magazine images, before and after which they completed assessments of state body satisfaction, state depression, state anxiety and state anger. Participants were randomly allocated to view either images of idealized females (experimental condition) or fashion accessories (control condition). For both grades, there was a significant decrease in state body satisfaction and a significant increase in state depression attributable to viewing the female images. In Grade 7 girls in the experimental condition, decrease in state body satisfaction was predicted by stable body dissatisfaction and BMI, while significant predictors of decreases in the measures of negative affect included internalization of the thin-ideal and appearance comparison. In Grade 10 girls, reduction in state body satisfaction and increase in state depression was predicted by internalization of the thin-ideal, appearance comparison and stable body dissatisfaction. These findings indicate the importance of individual differences in short-term reaction to viewing idealized media images.

Introduction

The propagation of thin idealized female images in media has been proposed to contribute to widespread body image and weight concerns in women in western society [1], [2]. However, a meta-analysis of controlled experimental studies of the impact of exposure to thin idealized media images has only revealed a weak effect of exposure on measures of body satisfaction [3]. The weak effect, however, may be due to differential impacts of exposure on females with different characteristics. Recent research findings and theoretical models suggest a number of individual characteristics that may moderate or mediate the relationship between exposure to thin idealized female images and changes in body dissatisfaction and other measures of psychological status. Drawing on this literature, the present research aimed to examine individual characteristics associated with negative impact of viewing idealized female advertising images on the immediate experience of body image satisfaction, depression, anxiety and anger in adolescent girls. In addition, while body dissatisfaction is frequently reported in adolescent girls, the effect of exposure to media images has not been thoroughly investigated. This study explores developmental issues in impact of media exposure by examining two groups of girls, Grades 7 and 10.

Few experimental studies have examined the impact of viewing idealized female images in adolescence. This is despite the fact that this is a time in which body dissatisfaction frequently occurs (e.g., Ref. [4]), related disordered eating frequently surfaces [5] and media exposure is very high [4], [6], [7]. In the studies that have specifically examined the impact of idealized female media images in adolescent girls, there have been mixed results. In post-exposure only designs, some studies have observed no effect on body image [8], [9]. On the other hand, other studies have found decreases in attractiveness and increases in body dissatisfaction after viewing thin-ideal images compared to control images [10], [11]. Thus, there needs to be further examination of the effect of media exposure in this particularly vulnerable age group.

There is empirical evidence to suggest that initially poor body image may predispose a woman to decreased body satisfaction following exposure to idealized female images. In their meta-analysis, Groesz et al. [3] found that samples with body image issues were more adversely affected by thin media stimuli. For example, Heinberg and Thompson [12] found that undergraduate college women high on initial levels of body image disturbance became significantly more dissatisfied with their appearance, and more depressed and angry following exposure to commercials containing idealized women. Similarly, Posovac et al. [13] observed that college women with initially low compared to high body satisfaction were significantly more concerned about their weight following exposure to slides of fashion models compared to neutral images. These findings suggest poor body satisfaction is a potential predictor of negative impact of idealized media images on body image.

Other potential influential factors are suggested by a recent theoretical model proposed by Thompson et al. [14]. Thin ideal internalization and appearance comparison are proposed as mediators between media pressures and body dissatisfaction [14]. In support of the effect of thin ideal internalization, studies have found that college women high on internalization compared to those low on this variable, reported increases in appearance dissatisfaction, depression and anger following thin ideal media exposure [12], [15]. However, a prospective study has failed to implicate the influence of internalization on the development of stable body dissatisfaction [16], in contrast to short-term changes.

In support of comparison tendency, Cattarin et al. [15] observed that the body images of young women given instructions to compare themselves with television images were more negatively affected by image exposure than those given distraction or neutral instructions. A recent study also found that comparison tendency mediated the impact of teasing on the development of stable body dissatisfaction [17]. Thus, internalization of the thin-ideal and social comparison tendency are likely to be important influences upon the extent to which adolescent girls are negatively effected by media exposure.

Other factors have been proposed as possible moderators or mediators in the development of stable body image dissatisfaction [2], [14] and therefore may potentially also be related to state changes in body image. Global psychological functioning (e.g., depression and self-esteem) has been proposed as a mediator of the effects of the media on body satisfaction in the model proposed by Thompson et al. [14]. In another theoretical discussion, Stice [2] identified a number of psychological and individual factors that may influence the development of body dissatisfaction. These included body size, low self-esteem and identity confusion. Similar to Thompson's model, the psychological factors (self-esteem and identity confusion) are conceived of as more distal mediators of the impact of media on body satisfaction. Little research to date has examined the potential influence of such psychological factors on immediate response to idealized images of women.

While the focus of the majority of experimental studies of media image exposure has been on potential short-term changes in body satisfaction after exposure, a number have also noted changes in mood and psychological well-being. These include increases in depression, stress, guilt, shame and insecurity [18], and increases in anger, anxiety and depression [15], [19], and increases in depression and anger [12]. Thus, it is important to also examine the impact of exposure to idealized images on these broader indicators of psychological/mood state in addition to body satisfaction.

Therefore, while individual characteristics and social factors that may moderate the impact of exposure to idealized media images have not been systematically explored, a number of potentially pertinent attributes have been raised by the literature. These are stable body dissatisfaction, tendency for physical appearance comparison, internalization of the thin ideal, self-esteem, body size, depression and identity confusion. Examination of these factors may provide valuable information about the processes through which exposure to idealized female images influences adolescent girls.

In the meta-analysis conducted by Groesz et al. [3], the negative effect of viewing idealized female images on body image was stronger in studies in which the participants were less than 19 years of age. While it is essential to examine the impact of media images on adolescent girls, adolescence itself is not a homogenous developmental stage and reaction to viewing idealized images may change across this developmental period. Thus, in order to explore differences and similarities of reactions to idealized female images in young and middle adolescence, Grades 7 and 10 girls were participants in the present study.

The first aim of this study was to compare short-term changes in body satisfaction, depressed mood, anxiety and anger, in Grades 7 and 10 girls following exposure to one or other of two conditions: (a) fashion magazine advertising images of thin, idealized, females (experimental condition) and (b) fashion magazine advertising images of popular inanimate objects, e.g., lipstick, bags and shoes (control condition). Based on the small but significant negative impact of media exposure found in the meta-analysis conducted by Groesz et al. [3], it was first hypothesized that there would be significantly lower body satisfaction and higher depression, anxiety and anger, following exposure to the experimental compared to the control condition.

The second aim was to examine attributes that predict state body satisfaction, depression, anxiety and anger scores following exposure to idealized female advertising images in girls in Grades 7 and 10. It was hypothesized, based on the literature reviewed above, that stable body dissatisfaction, body mass index (BMI), tendency for body comparison, internalization of sociocultural pressures to be thin, self-esteem, depression and identity confusion would each independently contribute to the prediction of state body satisfaction and measures of mood, assessed after exposure to the experimental condition (adjusted for pre-exposure levels). No such effect was predicted in the control condition.

The final aim of this study was to examine the strongest predictors of state body satisfaction, depression, anxiety and anger, in Grades 7 and 10 girls. As there have only been two studies that have examined vulnerability factors other than stable body dissatisfaction, it was difficult to hypothesize which factor would be the strongest. However, based on the theoretical models [2], [14] which propose internalization of the thin-ideal and comparison tendency as central mediators of the media's impact on body dissatisfaction, it was hypothesized that these factors would be stronger predictors of state body satisfaction after thin-ideal media exposure, than the psychological factors of self-esteem, depression and identity confusion.

Section snippets

Participants

Participants were 116 Grade 7 (mean age=12.9 years, S.D.=0.42) and 125 Grade 10 (mean age=15.5 years, S.D.=0.40) girls from three single sex and two co-educational schools in mid to high range socioeconomic areas. Most girls were born in Australia or New Zealand (93%), while 2% were born in Asia, 2% in India/Sri Lanka and 2% in Western Europe. Most parents were also born in Australia or New Zealand (mothers: 76%, fathers: 70%) but 6% were born in Asia, 2% in India/Sri Lanka, 9% of mothers and

Participant characteristics across exposure conditions

Participant characteristics are shown in Table 1. There were no significant differences between experimental and control groups on the majority of predictor variables in either grade. However, scores on the Self-Concept Clarity Scale were lower in the experimental compared to the control groups in both grades and scores on the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale were lower in the experimental compared to control condition in Grade 10. Thus, in general, the randomisation procedure was successful in

Discussion

This research provides new information regarding predictors of vulnerability to negative effects of viewing idealized female advertising images in adolescent girls, and highlights the importance of considering individual differences and developmental stage when exploring the short-term impact of media image exposure.

There was support for the hypothesis that there would be lower body satisfaction and mood following exposure to idealized female images. There was a significant mean difference in

Acknowledgements

The authors are very grateful for the assistance of Emma-Kate Gilbert and Manuela Sorbello in the preparation of the media advertising material and program development and to Dung Q. Tran for the computer programming for the media image presentation.

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