Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Skinny on Body Dissatisfaction: A Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Girls and Boys

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Journal of Youth and Adolescence Aims and scope Submit manuscript

The present study tested whether theoretically derived risk factors predicted increases in body dissatisfaction and whether gender moderated these relations with data from a longitudinal study of 428 adolescent girls and boys because few prospective studies have examined these aims, despite evidence that body dissatisfaction increases risk for various psychiatric disturbances. Body dissatisfaction showed significant increases for girls and significant decreases for boys during early adolescence. For both genders, parental support deficits, negative affectivity, and self-reported dietary restraint showed significant relations to future increases in body dissatisfaction. Ideal body internalization and body mass index did not demonstrate significant relations to future increases in body dissatisfaction; peer support deficits showed a marginal relation to this outcome. Gender did not moderate these relations, despite adequate power to detect interactive effects.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. Because previous research indicates that body mass may deviate from a linear relation for boys (Muth and Cash, 1997; Presnell et al., 2004), we tested for higher-order effects. An orthogonal polynomial analysis of the Gender × BMI effect indicated a significant Gender × Linear interaction (r=0.685, p≤0.001) Follow-up tests of the simple effects separately for boys versus girls suggested that while the relation of BMI and body dissatisfaction had a significant linear component for girls, but not for boys. On the other hand, a quadratic (u-shaped) model was supported at T1 for boys (r=0.280, p≤0.05), but not for girls. Although the quadratic model was no longer supported for boys at T2 and T3, BMI and body dissatisfaction continued to deviate from a linear association for boys in this sample.

REFERENCES

  • Baker, J. D., Williamson, D. A., and Sylve, C. (1995). Body image disturbance, memory bias, and body dysphoria: Effects of negative mood induction. Behav. Ther. 26: 747–759.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barker, E. T., and Galambos, N. L. (2003). Body dissatisfaction of adolescent girls and boys: Risk and resource factors. J. Early Adolesc. 23: 141–165.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baron, R. M., and Kenny, D. A. (1986). The moderator-mediator distinction in social psychological research: Conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations. J. Pers. Soc. Psychol. 51: 1173–1182.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Beck, A. T. (1976). Cognitive Therapy and the Emotional Disorders. International University Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Berscheid, E., Walster, E., and Bohrnstedt, G. (1973). The happy American body: A survey report. Psychol. Today 7: 119–131.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bryk, A. S., Raudenbush, S. W., Cheong, Y. F., and Congdon, R. T. (2000). HLM 5 Hierarchical Linear and Nonlinear Modeling. Scientific Software Int., Lincolnwood, IL.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buss, A. H., and Plomin, R. (1984). Temperament: Early Developing Personality Traits. Erlbaum, Hillsdale, NJ.

    Google Scholar 

  • Byely, L., Archibald, A. B., Graber, J., and Brooks-Gunn, J. (2000). A prospective study of familial and social influences on girls’ body image and dieting. Int. J. Eat. Disord. 28: 155–164.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences, 2nd edn. Erlbaum, Hillsdale, NJ.

    Google Scholar 

  • Field, A. E., Carmargo, C. A., Taylor, C. B., Berkey, C. S., Roberts, S. B., and Colditz, G. A. (2001). Peer, parent, and media influences on the development of weight concerns and frequent dieting among preadolescent and adolescent girls and boys. Pediatrics 107: 54– 60.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fox, K. R., Page, A., Peters, D. M., Armstrong, N., and Kirby, B. (1994). Dietary restraint and fatness in early adolescent girls and boys. J. Adolesc. 17: 149–161.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Furman, W. (1996). The measurement of friendship perceptions: Conceptual and methodological issues. In Bukowski, W. M., Newcomb, A. F., and Hartup, W. W. (eds.), The Company We Keep. Cambridge University, New York, pp. 41–65.

  • Furman, W., and Buhrmester, D. (1985). Children's perceptions of the personal relations in their social networks. Dev. Psychol. 21: 1016.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gardner, R. M., Friedman, B. N., and Jackson, N. (1999). A Body size estimations, body dissatisfaction, and ideal size preferences in children six through thirteen. J. Youth Adolesc. 28: 603–618.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hargreaves, D., and Tiggemann, M. (2002). The role of appearance schematicity in the development of adolescent body dissatisfaction. Cogn. Ther. Res. 26: 691–700.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hayward, C., Killen, J. D., Kraemer, H. C., and Taylor, C. B. (1998). Linking childhood behavioral inhibition to adolescent social phobia: A prospective study. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry 37: 1.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hill, J. P., and Lynch, M. E. (1983). The intensification of gender-related role expectations during early adolescence. In Brooks-Gunn, J., and Petersen, A. C. (eds)., Girls at Puberty: Biological and Psychosocial Perspectives. Plenum, New York, pp. 201–228.

  • Hoffman, J. M., and Brownell, K. D. (1997). Sex differences in the relationship of body fat distribution with psychosocial variables. Int. J. Eat. Disord. 22: 139–145.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hohlstein, L. A., Smith, G. T., and Atlas, J. G. (1998). An application of expectancy theory to eating disorders: Development and validation of measures of eating and dieting expectancies. Psychol. Assess. 10: 49–58.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jacobi, L., and Cash, T. F. (1994). In pursuit of the perfect appearance: Discrepancies among selfdeal percepts of multiple physical attributes. J. Appl. Soc. Psychol. 24: 379–396.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, F., and Wardle, J. (2005). Dietary restraint, body dissatisfaction, and psychological distress: A prospective analysis. J. Abnorm. Psychol. 115: 119–125.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jones, D. C. (2004). Body image among adolescent girls and boys: A longitudinal study. Dev. Psychol. 40: 823–835.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Keel, P. K., Fulkerson, J. A., and Leon, G. R. (1997). Disordered eating precursors in pre- and early adolescent girls and boys. J. Youth Adolesc. 26: 203–216.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Keel, P. K., Klump, K. L., Leon, G. R., and Fulkerson, J. A. (1998). Disordered eating in adolescent males from a school-based sample. Int. J. Eat. Disord. 23: 125–132.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Klesges, R. C., Isbell, T. R., and Klesges, L. M. (1992). Relationship between dietary restraint, energy intake, physical activity, and body weight: A prospective analysis. J. Abnorm. Psychol. 101: 668–674.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lewinsohn, P. M., Roberts, R. E., Seeley, J. R., Rohde, P., Gotlib, I. H., and Hops, H. (1994). Adolescent psychopathology: II. Psychosocial risk factors for depression. J. Abnorm. Psychol. 103: 302–315.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lowe, M. R., and Levine, A. S. (2005). Eating motives and the controversy over dieting: Eating less than needed versus less than wanted. Obesity Res. 13: 797–806.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCabe, M. P., and Riccciardelli, L. A. (2001). Parent, peer, and media influences on body image and strategies to both increase and decrease body size among adolescent boys and girls. Adolescence 36: 225–240.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McCabe, M. P., and Ricciardelli, L. A. (2004). A longitudinal study of pubertal timing and extreme body change behaviors among adolescent boys and girls. Adolescence 39: 145–166.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McCabe, M. P., Ricciardelli, L. A., and Banfield, S. (2001). Body image, strategies to change muscles and weight, and puberty: Do they impact on positive and negative affect among adolescent boys and girls? Eat. Behav. 2: 129–149.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McCarthy, M. (1990). The thin ideal, depression, and eating disorders in women. Behav. Res. Ther. 28: 205–218.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McCreary, D. R., and Sasse, D. K. (2000). An exploration of the drive for muscularity in adolescent boys and girls. J. Am. Coll. Health. 48: 297–304.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Muth, J. L., and Cash, T. F. (1997). Body image attitudes: What difference does gender make? J. Appl. Soc. Psychol. 27: 1438–1452.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neumark-Sztainer, D., Story, M., Falkner, N. H., Beuhring, T., and Resnick, M. D. (1999). Sociodemographic and personal characteristics of adolescents engaged in weight loss and weight/muscle gain behaviors: Who is doing what? Prev. Med. 28: 40–50.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nichter, M., and Nichter, M. (1991). Hype and weight. Med Anthropol. 13: 249–484.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pietrobelli, A., Faith, M., Allison, D., Gallagher, D., Chiumello, G., and Heymsfield, S. (1998). Body mass index as a measure of adiposity among children and adolescents: A validation study. J. Pediatr. 132: 204–210.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Presnell, K., Bearman, S. K., and Stice, E. (2004). Risk Factors for Body Dissatisfaction in Adolescent Boys and Girls: A Prospective Study. Int. J. Eat. Disord. 36: 389–401.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Presnell, K., and Stice, E. (2003). An experimental test of the effect of weight-loss dieting on bulimic pathology: Tipping the scales in a different direction. J. Abnorm. Psychol. 112: 166–170.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Raudenbush, S. W., and Byrk, A. S. (2002). Hierarchical Linear Models: Applications and Data Analysis Methods, 2nd edn. Sage, Thousand Oaks, CA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ricciardelli, L. A., and McCabe, M. P. (2001). Dietary restraint and negative affect as mediators of body dissatisfaction and bulimic behavior in adolescent girls and boys. Behav. Res. Ther. 39: 1317– 1328.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ricciardelli, L. A., and McCabe, M. P. (2003). Sociocultural influences on body image and body changes among adolescent boys and girls. J. Soc Psychol. 143: 5–26.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Richards, M. H., Boxer, A. M., Petersen, A. C., and Albrecht, R. (1990). Relation of weight to body image in pubertal girls and boys from two communities. Dev. Psychol. 26: 313–321.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosenblum, G. D., and Lewis, M. (1999). The relations among body image, physical attractiveness, and body mass in adolescence. Child Dev. 70: 50–64.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz, D. J., Phares, V., Tantleff-Dunn, S., and Thompson, J. K. (1999). Body image, psychological functioning, and parental feedback regarding physical appearance. Int. J. Eat. Disord. 25: 339– 343.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Smolak, L., Levine, M., and Thompson, J. K. (2001). The use of the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire with middle school boys and girls. Int. J. Eat. Disord. 29: 216–223.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stice, E. (2001). A prospective test of the dual pathway model of bulimic pathology: Mediating effects of dieting and negative affect. J. Abnorm. Psychol. 110: 124.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stice, E., and Bearman, S. K. (2001). Body image and eating disturbances prospectively predict increases in depressive symptoms in adolescent girls: A growth curve analysis. Dev. Psychol. 37: 597–607.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stice, E., Cameron, R. P., Killen, J. D., and Taylor, C. B. (1999). Naturalistic weight-reduction efforts prospectively predict growth in relative weight and onset of obesity among female adolescents. J. Consult. Clin. Psychol. 67: 967–974.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stice, E., Hayward, C., Cameron, R., Killen, J. D., and Taylor, C. B. (2000). Body image and eating related factors predict onset of depression in female adolescents: A longitudinal study. J. Abnorm. Psychol. 109: 438–444.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stice, E., Presnell, K., Shaw, H., and Rohde, P. (2005). Psychological and behavioral risk factors for obesity onset in adolescent girls: A prospective study. J. Consult. Clin. Psychol. 73: 195–202.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stice, E., Presnell, K., and Spangler, D. (2002). Risk factors for binge eating onset: A prospective investigation. Health Psychol. 21: 131–138.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stice, E., and Whitenton, K. (2002). Risk factors for body dissatisfaction in adolescent girls: A longitudinal investigation. Dev. Psychol. 38: 669–678.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, M. J., and Cooper, P. J. (1992). An experimental study of the effects of mood on body size perception. Behav. Res. Ther. 30: 53–58.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson, J. K., Heinberg, L. J., Altabe, M., and Tantleff-Dunn, S. (1999). Exacting Beauty: Theory, Assessment, and Treatment of Body Image Disturbance. American Psychological Association, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tiggemann, M., and Pennington, B. (1990). The development of gender differences in body-size dissatisfaction. Aust. Psychol. 25: 306–313.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van Strien, T., Fritjters, J. E. R., Bergers, G. P. A., and Dafares, P. B. (1986a). The Dutch Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (DEBQ) for assessment of restrained, emotional, and external eating behavor. Int. J. Eat. Disord. 5: 295–315.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van Strien, T., Frijters, J. E., van Staveren, W. A., Defares, P. B., and Deurenberg, P. (1986b). The predictive validity of the Dutch Restrained Eating Scale. Int. J. Eat. Disord. 5: 747–755.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wichstrom, L. (1999). The emergence of gender difference in depressed mood during adolescence: The role of intensified gender socialization. Dev. Psychol. 35: 232–245.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This study was supported by a career award (MH01708) and an individual research service award (MH12834) from the National Institutes of Mental Health. Thanks go to project research assistants, Melissa Fisher, Katy Whitenton, and Natalie McKee, as well as to the many undergraduate volunteers who assisted with this project. Our gratitude also goes to the Austin Independent School District and the participants who made this study possible.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Texas, Austin, Texas, USA

    Sarah Kate Bearman

  2. Judge Baker Children's Center, Harvard Medical School, 53 Parker Hill Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts, 02120-3225, USA

    Sarah Kate Bearman

  3. Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas, USA

    Katherine Presnell

  4. University of Texas, Austin, Texas, USA

    Erin Martinez & Eric Stice

Authors
  1. Sarah Kate Bearman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Katherine Presnell
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Erin Martinez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Eric Stice
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sarah Kate Bearman.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bearman, S.K., Presnell, K., Martinez, E. et al. The Skinny on Body Dissatisfaction: A Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Girls and Boys. J Youth Adolescence 35, 217–229 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-005-9010-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-005-9010-9

KEY WORDS

Search

Navigation