Body Image, Appearance Anxiety and Eating: Social and Pubertal Origins of Trajectories over 8 Years

• In Event: 3-204 - The Connection Effect: Adolescent Peer Relations Predict Long-term Physical, Mental and Romantic Life Outcomes

Integrative Statement

Pubertal changes and aversive appearance-related social interactions are associated with an escalation in appearance anxiety symptoms during and across adolescence (Zimmer-Gembeck et al., 2018). Appearance anxiety symptoms, in turn, are expected to be implicated in the development of numerous mental health disorders including eating disorders (Veale et al., 2014). Appearance anxiety includes thoughts and behaviors that are related to body concerns that may interfere with daily living, such as obsessional thoughts, excessive checking, and appearance camouflage.

The aims of this 6-wave (4-year) multi-informant longitudinal study were to (1) examine growth trajectories of appearance anxiety symptoms, (2) identify whether appearance anxiety trajectories differed by gender, and (3) examine factors expected to launch steeper appearance anxiety trajectories, including parent-reported physical maturation, peer-rated physical appearance, researcher-measured body mass index, and appearance teasing by parents and peers. We also examined whether appearance anxiety, pubertal maturation (and timing of maturation), BMI, parent and peer appearance teasing, age and gender explained eating problems. Participants were 387 Australian adolescents (44% boys) in grade 5-7 (age 10-13) at T1. Students completed surveys at T1-T6, and weight and height were measured in a private school space at T1. Parents completed a survey at T1. All measures had Cronbach's  over .75 for both boys and girls.

Steep growth in appearance anxiety symptoms was found for both girls and boys from grade 5 to 11 (see Figures 1a and 1b). Girls had more elevated appearance anxiety symptoms and steeper growth than boys. Moreover, latent variable growth curve modeling (Mplus) to test unique and interaction (pubertal x teasing) effects on appearance anxiety trajectories showed that girls' BMI was associated with anxiety symptoms, and that earlier physical maturation and teasing about appearance, both alone and in interactive combination, were associated with growth in symptoms for girls and boys. Earlier maturing boys who were highly teased by peers, were at utmost risk for elevated appearance anxiety symptoms and increasing symptoms over time. All girls exhibited elevated or increasing appearance anxiety symptoms across time, with the exception of a subset of girls with the latest maturation who also reported low appearance teasing. Regarding eating, about 25% of adolescents suffered some eating problem, and early and elevated appearance anxiety, BMI, peer teasing, earlier pubertal maturation, and female gender were all unique predictors of eating problems, usually found to be strongest when the sum of all eating problems was examined (see Table 1).

Overall, we find steep growth in appearance anxiety symptoms and heightened risk for eating problems associated with these symptoms. The findings identify the important influence of physical maturation and teasing about appearance by parents or peers, alone and in combination, in predicting appearance anxiety and eating problems. Furthermore, a higher BMI is also a factor related to elevated symptoms and eating problems, especially among girls, and several other notable gender differences were found. The widespread symptoms of appearance anxiety will be discussed to consider whether these have become a typical part of adolescent daily life, particularly for girls.

Authors

• Melanie J. Zimmer-Gembeck, Griffith University
  Presenting Author

• Haley Webb, Griffith University, School of Applied Psychology Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
  Non-Presenting Author

• Lara J. Farrell, Griffith University, School of Applied Psychology Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
  Non-Presenting Author

• Allison M. Waters, Griffith University, School of Applied Psychology Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
  Non-Presenting Author

• Wyndol Furman, University of Denver
  Non-Presenting Author