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Does body shame mediate the relationship between parental bonding, self-esteem, maladaptive perfectionism, body mass index and eating disorders? A structural equation model

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Eating and Weight Disorders - Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Body shame has been strongly associated with eating pathology. However, less is known about the predisposing factors linked to these feelings and how they interact with other variables in eating disorder development. Thus, the aim of the present study was to provide a preliminary understanding of the relationship between body shame and some of the major risk factors for eating disorder onset, identifying the possible mechanisms of action. Specifically, we tested a structural equation model in which perceived parental bonding, self-esteem, perfectionism, and body mass index are associated with eating disorder risk via body shame.

Methods

1156 high school students aged 13–20 were screened by means of self-report measures of parental behavior, self-esteem, perfectionism, body shame and eating disorder risk. The height and weight of each individual were measured.

Results

In predicting eating disorder risk, parental protectiveness (β = 0.09), body mass index (β = 0.18), self-esteem (β = − 0.14) and body shame (β = 0.58) had a direct effect on this variable and overall our model accounted for 58% of its variance. The experience of shame related to one’s body appeared to have a considerably significant influence on eating disturbances vulnerability and it also serves as a mediator between other risk factors and eating disturbance risk. A series of multi-group analyses indicated no significant difference between males and females.

Conclusion

The emotion of shame may enhance our understanding of eating disorders, as well as being a salient factor for the development of preventive programs and treatment approaches.

Level of evidence

Level V, cross-sectional descriptive study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Observatory on Eating Disorders, Department of Psychology, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Viale Ellittico, 31, 81100, Caserta, Italy

    Stefania Cella, Mara Iannaccone & Paolo Cotrufo

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  1. Stefania Cella
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  2. Mara Iannaccone
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  3. Paolo Cotrufo
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Contributions

PC designed the study and wrote the protocol. SC and MI conducted literature searches and provided summaries of previous research studies. SC and MI conducted the statistical analysis and wrote the first draft of the manuscript. All authors contributed to and have approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Stefania Cella.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Cella, S., Iannaccone, M. & Cotrufo, P. Does body shame mediate the relationship between parental bonding, self-esteem, maladaptive perfectionism, body mass index and eating disorders? A structural equation model. Eat Weight Disord 25, 667–678 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-019-00670-3

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