Body Image and Identity

• In Event: Poster Session 12
  In Poster Session: PS 12 Topic - Social, Emotional, Personality

Abstract

Individuals with eating problems have been shown to have low self-worth (Lazter and Stein, 2019). Self-esteem is the evaluation of one’s self-worth, and self-esteem has been shown to be related to identity (Luyckx et al., 2013). Kroger and Marcia (2011) found a significant correlation between identity commitment and self-esteem. Low self-esteem is also a known risk factor for the development of eating disorders (Ghaderi, 2001). Because weaker identity formation has been associated with lowered self-esteem, and low self-esteem has been associated with the development of eating disorders, Corning and Heibel (2016) have suggested that healthy adolescent identity development should be a primary focus in prevention efforts, and they created a measure of identity related to eating problems, the Identity and Eating Disorders survey. It assesses such things as defining oneself through the evaluation of others and through one’s own body image. The aim of the current study was to examine the relationship between body image and identity in a non-clinical sample. Late adolescent college students in psychology courses (N = 354) completed an anonymous online survey for course credit (mean age = 20.47, SD = 6.27, 72.6% female). There were 55.4% freshman, 15% sophomores, 16.1% juniors, 7.9% seniors, and 5.6% other. Ethnicity/Race included 54.8% White, 20% Hispanic, 8.8% Asian, 6.5% Black, and 9% mixed or other. Measures included the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire, the Identity and Eating Disorders survey, the Dimensions of Identity Development Scale, and the Identity Distress Survey. Not surprisingly, a multiple regression analysis revealed that overweight preoccupation (β = .32, t = 6.00, p < .001) and body image satisfaction (β = -.24, t = -4.09, p < .001) significantly predicted scores on Corning and Heibel’s body image based identity measure (R2 = .24, Adjusted R2 = .23, F(4, 348) = 27.07, p < .001). However, non-body image based measures of identity were also related to these factors, such that identity distress correlated with both overweight preoccupation (r = .17, p = .001) and with body area satisfaction (r = -.30, p < .001), and further, body area satisfaction was also related to identity commitment (r = .19, p < .001) and ruminative identity exploration (r = -.20, p < .001). This research supports Corning and Heibel’s (2016) theory that body image is related to identity development, and further, that healthy adolescent identity development should be a primary focus in eating disorder prevention and intervention efforts. It expands on Corning and Heibel’s work by demonstrating that identity measures with no mention of eating behaviors or body image were also related to body image. Thus the link between body image and identity development may be stronger than previously thought, affecting such areas as career goals, life roles, values and beliefs about the world.

Authors

• Stephanie Kaine, University of Central Florida at Sanford-Lake Mary
  Presenting Author

• Bailey Wagaman, University of Central Florida
  Non-Presenting Author

• Emalee Kerr, University of Central Florida
  Non-Presenting Author

• Steven L. Berman, University of Central Florida
  Non-Presenting Author