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An Integrative Model of the Impact of Exposure to Idealized Female Images on Adolescent Girls’ Body Satisfaction 1
Author(s) -
Durkin Sarah J.,
Paxton Susan J.,
Sorbello Manuela
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of applied social psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.822
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1559-1816
pISSN - 0021-9029
DOI - 10.1111/j.1559-1816.2007.00201.x
Subject(s) - psychology , structural equation modeling , path analysis (statistics) , internalization , ideal (ethics) , social psychology , developmental psychology , statistics , medicine , philosophy , receptor , mathematics , epistemology
This research examined a model describing the interrelationships between individual characteristics and the extent of change in body dissatisfaction following exposure to idealized female images. Three samples of middle adolescent girls (2 Australian, n = 118, and n = 63; 1 Italian, n = 88) completed self‐report assessments. Several days later, they viewed idealized female images, and body satisfaction was assessed immediately prior to and following exposure. Across all 3 samples, structural equation modeling supported a model in which body comparison tendency mediated the role of psychological functioning and internalization of the thin ideal on changes in body satisfaction following image exposure. Internalization of the thin ideal partially mediated the path between psychological functioning and body comparison tendency.