Poster #41 - Students’ Body Image Dissatisfaction Predicts Decreases Over Time in Behavioural, Affective, and Cognitive School Engagement

• In Event: Poster Session 13

Abstract

Several studies have identified links between weight status and poorer school engagement in children and adolescents (Finn et al., 2018; Lv et al., 2020). However, emerging evidence suggests that body image may be a more meaningful predictor of school disengagement than weight status (Guimond & Laursen, 2022). To date, these relationships are not well understood, as prior studies have not measured body image or school engagement in a way that fully captures the complexity of these constructs. Therefore, the present longitudinal study examined the degree to which different aspects of body image (body dissatisfaction, body comparison behaviours, and weight perception) influenced changes over time in three types of school engagement (affective, behavioural, and cognitive) in elementary and secondary school students.

The sample consisted of 1,472 Canadian children (52% girls, 38.3% boys, 1.7% other) ranging from grade primary to grade 11. Data was collected via surveys administered in-class at two time points, which included near the start and end of the school year (T1: November-December 2021; T2: May-June 2022). Body dissatisfaction was measured using the body image concerns subscale (9 items) and the compulsive self-monitoring subscale (3 items) from the Body Uneasiness Test (BUT; Cuzzolaro et al., 2006). Body comparison behaviours were assessed using the 5-item Physical Appearance Comparison Scale (PACS; Dany & Urdapilleta, 2012). Weight perception was measured by asking students how they perceived their weight on a 5-point scale ranging from “very slim” to “very heavy” (Monaci & Nuvoli, 2002). Finally, affective, behavioural, and cognitive school engagement were measured using the 9-item Classroom Engagement Scale (CES; Archambault et al., 2013).

Generalized estimating equations revealed significant associations between T1 body dissatisfaction and T2 school engagement. Specifically, students who were more dissatisfied with their body at T1 were less affectively engaged (B= -.16, SE= .03, p< .001), behaviourally engaged (B= -.11, SE= .03, p= .002) and cognitively engaged (B= -.12, SE= .03, p= .002) at T2. Moreover, student sex and grade were both significant predictors of T2 school engagement. Specifically, girls were more likely than boys to be engaged affectively (B= .11, SE= .04, p< .001), behaviourally (B= .10, SE= .04, p< .001), and cognitively (B= .06, SE= .05, p= .012) at T2. Similarly, students in higher grades were less engaged affectively (B= -.35, SE= .01, p< .001), behaviourally (B= -.31, SE= .01, p< .001), and cognitively (B= -.18, SE= .01, p< .001) at T2. Students’ weight perception and body comparison behaviours at T1 were non-significant predictors of school engagement at T2.

To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate a link between body dissatisfaction and three distinct forms of school engagement. Affective engagement (enjoying school, seeing it as useful) was most affected by body dissatisfaction, followed by behavioural engagement (attending class, participating in classroom activities) and cognitive engagement (using effective learning strategies). These findings point towards student body image issues as a potential target for interventions looking to improve students’ school engagement.

Authors

• Philip MacGregor, University of Ottawa
  Presenting Author

• Olivia Gardam, University of Ottawa

• Jonathan Smith, University of Sherbrooke

• Fanny-Alexandra Guimond, University of Ottawa