A Preliminary Exploration of Cognitive Appraisals of Body Image Stressors among Women
Date Issued
2014
Date
2014
Author(s)
Shang, Pei-Yu
Abstract
The majority of studies to date revealed that most women experienced their body shape in a negative manner and more than half of them had tried to lose weight. However, little research had investigated how appearance-related life events made women feel stressful about their body By integrating the cognitive-behavioral model of body image, the Self-Discrepancy Theory, and the Stress-Coping Model, the present study aimed to explore the cognitive appraisal processes of body image stressors among women. Furthermore, the study also investigated the effects of age and body mass index (BMI) on body image. A sample of 703 women between the age of 18 and 67 years old completed a structured questionnaire which contained the Contour Drawing Rating Scale, Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ), Appearance Schemas Inventory─Revised, and Body Shape Stress Appraisal Scale. The results indicated that: 1) body image investment consisted of motivational factor and cognitive factor. The former was found positively correlated with body image evaluation, while the latter was negatively correlated with body image evaluation. Body image evaluation was also found negatively correlated with both current-ideal figural discrepancy and stress appraisal. 2) Older women had lower ratings of body image investment, while no significant age effect was found regarding body image evaluation. 3) Women with higher BMI had lower ratings of body image evaluation than women with lower BMI, while no significant effect was found regarding body image investment and BMI. 4) When facing body image stressors, women who rated their current figure as bigger than their ideal figure felt more stressful. 5) Body image investment did not function as a moderator variable in the cognitive appraisal process. The present study found that the body image attitudes women had and the current-ideal figural discrepancies they perceived under the circumstances predict how stressful women will feel when they encounter body image stressors. Last but not least, the present study demonstrated the influence of age and BMI on body image among women.
Subjects
body image
stress
cognitive appraisal
age
body mass index
Type
thesis
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