Poster #97 - The Mediating Effects of Intimacy Between Sibling Body Talk and Body Dissatisfaction in Female Adolescents

• In Event: 3-159 - Poster Session 12
  In Poster Session: PS 12 Section - Family Context & Processes

Integrative Statement

Intimacy experienced in relationships, in the form of disclosure of information, provides adolescents with validation of personal worth (Sullivan, 1953). Teasing within intimate relationships may increase affection by showing that the individuals are close enough to tease (Baxter, 1992; Eisenberg, 1986). However, previous body image research on female adolescents has indicated that appearance-related teasing, as well as pressures to be thin, contribute strongly to body dissatisfaction (Cash, 1995; Buhrmester & Furman, 1990). Most work on the effects of teasing and pressure in intimate relationships and their effect on body dissatisfaction is centered around the peer-adolescent relationship and the mother-adolescent relationship. However, siblings play an important role in providing intimate relationships, and therefore may also play a role in increasing adolescents’ body dissatisfaction through teasing or increasing pressures (Buhrmester & Furman, 1990). The aim of the present study was to examine intimacy as a mediating factor between sibling appearance-related teasing and body dissatisfaction, as well as between sibling pressure to be thin and body dissatisfaction, among female adolescents.

Participants were 134 female adolescents ages 12 to 19 years (M=14.76, SD=1.64) and were mostly white (93%). Body dissatisfaction was measured with the Body Dissatisfaction Scale (Stice et al., 2003). Appearance-related teasing and pressure to be thin from siblings were measured using items adapted from the Perceived Sociocultural Pressure Scale (Stice et al., 1996). Intimacy was measured using the Sibling Relationship Questionnaire (Buhrmester & Furman, 1990).

Using mediational analyses with bivariate and multivariate regressions, we first examined the relationship between appearance-related teasing from siblings, sibling intimacy, and body dissatisfaction among female adolescents. Results showed support for partial mediation (see Table1). Teasing was associated with body dissatisfaction (β= .26). Additionally, teasing was associated with intimacy (β= .22), and intimacy was associated with body dissatisfaction (β= -.29). However, only partial mediation occurred because the relationship between teasing and body dissatisfaction remained significant, though the value was reduced (β= .22). Second, we examined the relationship between pressure to be thin from siblings, sibling intimacy, and body dissatisfaction. Results showed no evidence of mediation, but rather both a direct effect between pressure and body dissatisfaction (β = .27), as well as a pattern of indirect effects such that pressure was associated with intimacy (β = -.48), which was then associated with body dissatisfaction (β = -.29).

Our results indicate that intimacy in sibling relationships plays a role in the relationships between negative body talk and body dissatisfaction for female adolescents. Specifically, appearance-related teasing by siblings led to less intimate relationships, which in turn increased body dissatisfaction. Pressure to be thin from siblings also decreased intimacy, and such decreased intimacy led to more body dissatisfaction. Despite the potential of a sibling being both a lifelong familial relationship and a source of companionship, there is limited research focusing on the sibling-adolescent relationship with regard to body image. Future work should continue to use the sibling relationship as a means of understanding the development of body dissatisfaction among adolescents.

Authors

• Emma L Johnson, North Dakota State University
  Presenting Author

• Elizabeth H Blodgett Salafia, North Dakota State University
  Non-Presenting Author