The role of self-objectification in the development of body image disturbance and eating disorder symptomatology in young children
Year: 2013
Type: dissertation
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: [Truncated abstract] Eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are serious illnesses associated with severe psychological, physiological, and psychosocial impairments. Subclinical eating disorders and eating disorder symptoms affect a significant proportion of the female population and a smaller proportion of the male population. Recent evidence also supports the presence of clinically significant eating disorder symptoms in children (Madden, Morris, Zurynski, Kohn, & Elliot, 2009; Nicholls, Lynn, & Viner, 2011; Pinhas, Morris, Crosby, & Katzman, 2011). Given the pervasiveness of body image disturbance and the significant prevalence of eating disorder symptomatology among both males and females of all ages, there is a growing need to effectively prevent and treat eating disorders. Empirical studies identifying and delineating the risk and maintaining factors associated with eating disorders are therefore essential. Researchers have identified a number of individual, interpersonal, biological, and sociocultural factors that appear to contribute to the development and maintenance of eating disorders. Of interest to this thesis was one specific individual factor, self-objectification, and how it interacts with other putative risk factors to predict eating disorder symptoms. Whilst this putative risk factor has received adequate attention in young adult populations, the etiological significance of self-objectification in the development of body surveillance, body image disturbance, and disordered eating in young children has not been clearly established. Accordingly, within the context of objectification theory, this thesis aimed to longitudinally examine the role of self-objectification in the development of eating disorder symptoms in 6- to 11-year-old boys and girls. This aim was accomplished in three broad studies. The first study of this thesis (Chapter 3) modified currently available measures of self-objectification (Self-Objectification
Author: Michelle I. Jongenelis
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2615606265