Citation

Trompeter N, Bussey K, Hay P, Mond J, Murray SB, Lonergan A, Griffiths S, Pike K, Mitchison D. J. Youth Adolesc. 2018; 47(7): 1398-1408.

Affiliation

Department of Psychology, Centre for Emotional Health, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s10964-018-0872-z

PMID

29845441

Abstract

Fear of negative evaluation has been linked with weight/shape concerns among adults, however, similar research among adolescents is lacking. We investigated the relationship between fear of negative evaluation and weight/shape concerns, including the moderating roles of gender and body mass index (BMI) in adolescents. Participant were 4045 Australian adolescents (53.7% girls) aged 11-19 years (M_age = 14 years 11 months), who completed a self-report questionnaire about weight/shape concerns, fear of negative evaluation, and weight and height.

RESULTS showed a positive association between fear of negative evaluation and weight/shape concerns, with the association being stronger among girls. Furthermore, the association between fear of negative evaluation and weight/shape concerns was stronger among adolescents with higher BMIs, especially so for boys. These results highlight the role of fear of negative evaluation in weight/shape concerns and suggest potential avenues for prevention programs.

Language: en

Keywords

Adolescence; Body image; Eating disorders; Fear of negative evaluation; Weight and shape concerns