Body Perfect Ideal and Eating Regulation Goals: Investigating the Role of Adolescents' Identity Styles

• NCJ Number: 244804
• Journal: Journal of Youth and Adolescence Volume: 43 Issue: 2 Dated: February 2014 Pages: 284-297
• Author(s): Joke Verstuyf; Stijn Van Petegem; Maarten Vansteenkiste; Bart Soenens; Liesbet Boone
• Date Published: February 2014
• Length: 14 pages
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study investigated whether different styles of identity exploration are associated differentially with changes in adoption of the body perfect ideal, which, in turn, would relate to changes in appearance-focused and health-focused eating regulation.

Abstract

Adolescents are exposed to images depicting the thin or muscular ideal almost on a daily basis. When the body perfect ideal is adopted, adolescents are at increased risk for developing unhealthy and disordered eating behaviors. The aim of the current 3-wave longitudinal study among adolescents (N = 418; 54 percent girls) was to investigate whether different styles of identity exploration (i.e., information-oriented, normative, and diffuse-avoidant) are associated differentially with changes in adoption of the body perfect ideal, which, in turn, would relate to changes in appearance-focused and health-focused eating regulation. Results indicated that the information-oriented style predicted decreases and the normative style predicted increases in adoption of the body perfect ideal. In turn, adoption of the body perfect ideal predicted significant increases in appearance-focused eating regulation but not in health-focused eating regulation. A diffuse-avoidant style was unrelated to changes in adoption of the body perfect, yet directly predicted decreases in health-focused eating regulation. Theoretical and clinical implications of these findings are discussed. Abstract published by arrangement with Springer.