Body Image, Self-Esteem and Eating Disturbance among (PDF)

University of South Florida Scholar Commons Graduate Theses and Dissertations Graduate School October 2018 Body Image, Self-Esteem and Eating Disturbance among Chinese Women: Testing the Tripartite Influence model Weiwei Wang University of South Florida, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd Part of the Mass Communication Commons This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected] Scholar Commons Citation Wang, Weiwei, "Body Image, Self-Esteem and Eating Disturbance among Chinese Women: Testing the Tripartite Influence model" (2018). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/7591  Body Image, Self-Esteem and Eating Disturbance among Chinese Women: Testing the Tripartite Influence model by Weiwei Wang A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts School of Mass Communications College of Arts & Sciences University of South Florida Major Professor: Scott S. Liu, Ph.D. Roxanne Watson, Ph.D. Kimberly Walker, Ph.D. Date of Approval: October 24, 2018 Keywords: thin-ideal internalization, media pressure, family pressure, peer pressure, self-esteem, eating disturbance Copyright © 2018, Weiwei Wang  Acknowledgments Thanks to my thesis chair Scott S. Liu, Ph.D. and committee member Roxanne Watson, Ph.D. and Kimberly Walker, Ph.D., for all of their guidance and expertise through the process: their discussion, ideas, and feedback.  i Table of Contents Table of Contents............................................................................................................................. i List of Tables.................................................................................................................................. iii List of Figures................................................................................................................................ iv Abstract........................................................................................................................................... v Chapter 1: Introduction................................................................................................................... 1 Background of Study........................................................................................................... 2 Statement of problem .......................................................................................................... 5 Importance of Study............................................................................................................ 7 Overview of the Study......................................................................................................... 8 Chapter 2: Theoretical Framework ................................................................................................. 9 The Tripartite Influence model............................................................................................ 9 Traditional Chinese Ideal Body Image on Women............................................................ 13 Current Chinese Thin-ideal Body Image on Women ........................................................ 14 Eating Disorder Situation .................................................................................................. 15 Chapter 3: Research Hypotheses .................................................................................................. 17 Chapter 4: Methodology............................................................................................................... 19 Design and sample............................................................................................................. 19 Survey Instruments............................................................................................................ 21 Measures............................................................................................................................ 21 Chapter 5: Results......................................................................................................................... 23 Descriptive and Reliability Analysis ................................................................................. 23 Measurement Model Results............................................................................................. 25 Structural Model Results................................................................................................... 27  ii Hypotheses Testing............................................................................................................ 28 Chapter 6: Discussion ................................................................................................................... 30 The surging behind the first correlation ............................................................................ 31 The surging behind the second correlation........................................................................ 32 The surging behind the third correlation ........................................................................... 33 The surging behind the fourth correlation......................................................................... 34 The surging behind the fifth correlation............................................................................ 34 The surging behind the different impact of media pressure.............................................. 35 Chapter 7: Conclusion .................................................................................................................. 37 Major findings ................................................................................................................... 37 Limitations of the study..................................................................................................... 37 References..................................................................................................................................... 39 Appendices.................................................................................................................................... 45 Appendix A........................................................................................................................ 46 Appendix B........................................................................................................................ 49  iii List of Tables Table 1. Sample Gender .............................................................................................................. 19 Table 2. Sample Age ................................................................................................................... 19 Table 3. Sample Occupation ....................................................................................................... 20 Table 4. Sample Education ......................................................................................................... 20 Table 5: Sample Scale items for Constructs ............................................................................... 22 Table 6. Descriptive and Reliability Statistics ............................................................................ 23 Table 7. Measurement Model Results ......................................................................................... 25 Table 8. Estimates of Standardized Regression Weights ............................................................ 27 Table 9. Summary of Hypotheses Testing .................................................................................. 30  iv List of Figures Figure 1. Hypothesized Relationships among Variables.....................................................................................18 Figure 2. Structural Model Results ...................................................................................................................28  v Abstract The purpose of the study is to confirm the reasons behind young Chinese women’s eating disturbances and self-esteem. The researcher uses the Tripartite Influence model to illustrate the relationship between internalization and pressures in the form of peer, family, and media pressure. It further reveals the relationship between internalization and self-esteem and eating disorders. Besides conforming with the mode of young Chinese females, it aims at finding out the reasons behind each relevant relationship. One point of the study is the different impact of media pressure on young Chinese females; the influence of media tends to be much lower in China and the reasons have been discussed in their entirety.  1 Chapter 1: Introduction With human society developing at a high speed and substantial needs being met, people nowadays pay more and more attention to their external images, especially their figures. Both males and females are beginning to pursue “body images” such as “muscular body,” “athletic body,” or “Thin-ideal body.” Owing to the fact that human society has reached its highest development in history (Ren, 2016), people are no longer placing their life focus on work, which not only still stays in the level of matter and tend to be more interested in having a good shape both their own sense of value and others’ views, but is also the result of the tripartite influence: media pressure, family pressure, and peer pressure to some degree (Ren, 2016). In recent years, a significant amount of research has been carried out to provide a better understanding of the formative factors, which have a great effect on the development and maintenance of body image disturbance and eating disorders (Thompson, 2001). There is sufficient research available based on Western countries and how pressure from the media, family and peers have an effect on their attitudes with regard to external figures and eating disorders. Among those who were surveyed, females are more vulnerable to the impact of others’ pressure than males (Austin, 1999). The research shows that 65 percent of girls are not satisfied with their bodies and want to be thinner if possible (Paxton, Wertheim, Gibbons, Szmukler, et al., 1991). Issues related to body shapes and eating behaviors are not limited to Western countries, although less research relating to these types of issues has been conducted. In Eastern countries, even in developing countries, such as China, many people are upset because of the dissatisfaction they feel about their body images. Research has observed the gap in research between Western  2 countries and China, a developed country like the series of Western culture versus Chinese culture put up by the CCNU. Christine and Hall (2007) carried out research focused on Asian countries, including China, and found that the effects of media, family, and peers on White females can also be applied to Asian females in some aspects. Thus, Western females’ thin images presented online cause an increase in dissatisfaction among Asian women with regard to their bodies. A wide range of factors, which include influence of society, relationship, and biology, are considered as potential causes for discontent with regard to body image and eating disorders. To be more specific, accounting for the extensive exposure of media in people’s daily lives, the factor of media plays an indispensable part in the internalization of ideas concerning figures in people’s minds (Humenikova, 2008). Furthermore, the influence of the family can also be counted as well (Pike, 1991). Apart from these two factors, a great deal of research has also been conducted to understand the relationship of peers and figures and eating disorders (Pike, 1991). Background of Study With the advent of the new media era, media exists in every aspect of personal life and every corner of social life; thus, people are exposed to the media much more than in any other phase of human society. As a result, going through the Internet is becoming a part of social life, which holds great significance and cannot be ignored. When people spend time on the Internet, the ideas and information from the Internet unconsciously penetrate into the daily life of the public. People nowadays are more exposed to the media than before; furthermore, it is easy for the public to be influenced by the information and ideas obtained from the media (Gurevitch, 2009). In addition, the increasing development of the new media provides more opportunities for the public to have a closer look at the dynamic states of celebrities, who could have an effect on  3 their followers and the public (Boon, 2001). The news and fashionable photos of celebrities set the examples of the standard of beauty. The way the celebrities think of beauty strongly influences the way ordinary people think of themselves and their bodies. As a result, the public is gradually imbibing the perfect body shape, which is set by the model of those celebrities, by way of eating disorders. The influence of media on people’s body image and eating disorders, so as to reach the standard of beauty in media is not uncommon in Western countries (Kennedy, Templeton, Gandhi & Gorzalka, 2004). Extensive studies have been carried out to test the connection between media and the ideas of the public about figures. Moreover, among people who are influenced by the media to judge their body shape, females are more vulnerable to the impact of media than males (Austin, 1999). The interesting thing is that although the media, leads both males and females unconsciously, there are some differences between males and females on the topic of having a good body shape. The research showed that females tend to regard being thin as beautiful, while males try to exercise their muscle bulk (Vandenbosch & Eggermont, 2012). Apart from the factor of public exposure to the media, attitudes from family members can also have a great effect on people’s views about body shapes and eating disorders, especially for schoolgirls. Girls who are experiencing big changes in both physiology and psychology during puberty attach great significance to their external images and their figures, which can be somehow upgraded to the level of self-esteem (Simmons, 1979). Therefore, schoolgirls are sensitive about people’s attitudes and comments about their body shapes. In addition, children have a great possibility of being influenced by their parents and other family members, because children have a tendency to imitate their parents (Hetherington, 1967). Thus, family members can easily influence ideas about beauty and eating habits. In other words, children possess a  4 greater possibility of considering that being thin is the best attribute of beauty from their parents or other family members. It has been found that mothers who sulked bulimic adolescents, could evaluate the weight of their children, especially girls and daughters of mothers who are not bulimic adolescents are more beautiful from the perspective of appearance (Pike, 1991). The opinions of parents about children being thin could be an underlying cause for the eating disturbance experienced by children. Since the duration of parents staying with their children is longer than their other activities, some tiny signs, which can show parents’ dissatisfaction with regard to their children, can be sensed by the latter because of their sensitivity; these types of signs are much more difficult to be hidden by their parents. Then, the type of sensitivity can be internalized in children’s minds and lead to eating disorders. It has been found that the figures of girls in college have a close connection with their mothers’ dissatisfaction with their body shapes (Rieves, 1996). Recently, a lot of research has proved that family pressure is of great significance as a variable in affecting body shapes as well as related eating disorders (Grabe, 2008). In addition to the two factors above, there is another variable, “peers’ influence”, which has an impact on people’s eating behaviors. People are sensitive about others’ comments and attitudes toward themselves, especially with respect to issues related to their external appearances. Furthermore, the typical aspect of appearance that they always keep an eye on is the body shape as it is discussed quite often (Wu, 2009). It is a natural reaction for human beings to want to achieve a satisfying figure through changing eating behaviors when they receive negative feedback about body shapes from their peers. In other words, peers’ pressure stimulate them to change their eating behaviors so as to acquire others’ praise and appreciation of external images. As has been mentioned before, schoolgirls during puberty are quite sensitive about others’ opinions. Furthermore, their peers who are in puberty are also immature and possess less  5 concern about whether their words could hurt their peers’ feelings and self-esteem. As a result, schoolgirls who are less satisfied with their body shapes have a greater tendency to be teased by their peers and be hurt by those spiteful words. They have no choice but to suffer eating disorders in order to have a beautiful body shape. It was observed in research that girls in high school who have been teased by peers with regard to issues about figures claimed that they had to keep a check on their eating habits, which was influenced by their peers (Paxton, 1999). Teasing is not an issue restricted to schoolgirls but can also be seen in the adult world. A study has shown that teasing is a consistent predictor of a wide range of body shape dissatisfied eating disorders in women, which is of great consequence (Thompson, 1999). Besides, there is also research that focused on the relationship between peers and eating disorders and found that peer pressure has an effect on people’s eating behaviors. Statement of problem The pressure from the media, family, and peers on the aesthetic feelings and standard body shapes of female adolescents has serious consequences. It can affect both their physical and mental health. From the perspective of physical health, one of the most obtrusive concerns is eating disorder. The research shows that body-image disturbance has caused most of the unhealthy eating behaviors and disorders, which is a new potential risk factor for human beings (Thompson & Stice, 2001). Under the influence of media, family, and peers, most adolescents seemed to have a misunderstanding about the concep of “thinness.” Although some people have approach the standard of thinness based on BMI, which is a scientific and medical way to calculate a person’s body shape, they could still be teased on account of the fatness of the external body shape (Xu, Mellor, Loehne, Ricciardelli, McCabe, et al., 2010). It is under these circumstances  6 that adolescents, especially girls, have to be thin to avoid being laughed at, which is the result of the pressure from the media, family, and peers. In order to achieve the standard portrayed in the media, or advanced family, and peers, they prefer to eat in an unhealthy way to lose weight. Because adolescents are in the process of physically developing, without the adequate intake of nutrition the physical growth of adolescents would be affected, which will do harm to their physical health. In terms of psychological health, the pressure to become thin and the feeling of inferiority with regard to one’s body shapes can have a negative effect on one’s psychological health. The typical example is that adolescents’ self-esteem can be affected in a negative way (Clay, Vignoles & Dittmar, 2005). Due to the strongly negative dissatisfaction toward their own bodies, they feel inferior when they see thin people and are afraid of hearing others’ negative comments about their body shapes and images. It was also found in the study that the decline in the self-esteem of adolescents continues to grow as they (Clay, Vignoles & Dittmar, 2005). Moreover, this kind of low self-esteem can cause harm to adolescents’ self-perception. The research showed that most adolescents are not content with their body and, therefore, they are also not content with their appearance. This type of self-cognition leads adolescents to harbor inferiority complexes and low self-perception, which can be transformed into obstacles in the way of their healthy psychological development (Chang, Lee, Chen, Chiu, Pan & Huang, 2012). It can be seen that the influence of media on adolescents are detrimental. Not only does it become a barrier for children’s healthy bodies, such as limiting the intake of food, but it also leads to negative consequences on adolescents psychological health such as low self-esteem and inferiority.  7 Importance of Study The significance of this study is analyzed from two perspectives: the practical perspective and the theoretical perspective. From the theoretical perspective, the major significance lies in bridging the gap of research in China. Chinese females concentrate on the body image and highly appreciate the “Thin Ideal” body image. The research gap concerning the influence of social media, family, and peers on the female adolescents’ body image (Wu, 2009) widely exists in China, but there is limited research on the situation of China due to the late development of Chinese academic research in this area. Also, there is a possibility that different cultural backgrounds lead to different effects on the perspectives of adolescents on body image in Western countries and China respectively. It is of great necessity to carry out more studies on Chinese adolescents’ image of themselves to both compare the situations in Western countries and China as well as to find the commonalities. In this research, we will pay attention to the influence from three factors: the media, family, and peers. It is also important to note the cultural differences within China, as China is a big country consisting of 56 ethnic groups; it is a vast land composed of different regions and provinces. Different results may be found in different areas because carrying out research on people from different regions may lead to different findings. From the practical perspective, the study is released to find out the current females’ eating condition and the reasons behind it. Since China has already reported that some crazy fans of celebrities try to imitate the celebrities even if a conflict of interest exists between their country and another (Ren, 2016), this research can make a contribution to warn us about the harm of chasing the “beauty” of “thinness”(owning little fat) blindly. Such research work can be helpful in following some precautions in case some adolescents become crazy about becoming