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Can self-esteem, body dissatisfaction, and internalization of the thinness ideal influence risk behaviors for eating disorders?

OBJETIVE:

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of self-esteem, body dissatisfaction, and internalization of the thin ideal on disordered eating female adolescents.

METHODS:

Four hundred and seventy one adolescents participated in this research. The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Body Shape Questionnaire, and the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-3 were used to assess self-esteem, body dissatisfaction, and internalization of the thin ideal, respectively. The Eating Attitudes Test subscales were used to evaluate eating disorder risk behavior.

RESULTS:

The results indicated influence of the Body Shape Questionnaire (p<0.05) and Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-3 scores (p<0.05) on all subscales of the Eating Attitudes Test. In contrast, the findings did not show any significant influence of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale on the Eating Attitudes Test subscales scores (p>0.05).

CONCLUSION:

It was concluded that body dissatisfaction and internalization of the thin ideal influence eating disorder risk behavior in female adolescents; the same behavior was not observed for self-esteem.

Adolescents; Body image; Eating disorders


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