Being bullied and feeling ashamed: Implications for eating psychopathology and depression in adolescent girls

Abstract

The current study examined the associations between peer victimization, body image shame, self-criticism, self-reassurance, depressive symptoms and eating psychopathology in 609 female adolescents.Correlational analyses showed that being the victim of bullying was positively associated with body image shame, self-criticism, with low self-reassurance, depressive symptoms and eating psychopathology. A path analysis indicated that victimization experiences were associated with increased depressive symptoms partially through increased levels of body image shame, and a severe form of self-criticism -hated self. Body image shame and hated-self self-criticism fully mediated the association between victimization experiences eating psychopathology. The tested model accounted for a total of 51% of depressive symptoms variance and for 52% of eating psychopathology variance.These findings may have important intervention and prevention implications, by suggesting that bullying experiences fuel body image shame and consequent self-directed hostility and anger, which, in turn, predict increased depressive symptomatology and eating psychopathology in female adolescents.

Body image as a target of victimization by peers/parents: Development and validation of the Body Image Victimization Experiences Scale

“…Also, body image-related victimization experiences were positively linked with depressive, anxiety and stress symptoms, current body image shame and eating psychopathology, namely binge eating These findings add to previous evidence demonstrating the role of these experiences on disordered eating symptomatology (e.g., Menzel et al 2010) and on the individual self-evaluation and psychological and interpersonal functioning (Duarte, Pinto-Gouveia, and Rodrigues 2015;Haines et al 2006;Lunde et al 2006;Matos et al 2015;Menzel et al 2010;Pinto-Gouveia et al 2014). …”

“…Moreover, the BIVES was positively associated with current levels of self-criticism, (Gilbert et al 2004), which has been associated with poor mental health indicators, namely eating psychopathology Duarte, Pinto-Gouveia, and Rodrigues 2015;PintoGouveia, Ferreira, and Duarte 2014). Also, body image-related victimization experiences were positively linked with depressive, anxiety and stress symptoms, current body image shame and eating psychopathology, namely binge eating These findings add to previous evidence demonstrating the role of these experiences on disordered eating symptomatology (e.g., Menzel et al 2010) and on the individual self-evaluation and psychological and interpersonal functioning (Duarte, Pinto-Gouveia, and Rodrigues 2015;Haines et al 2006;Lunde et al 2006;Matos et al 2015;Menzel et al 2010;Pinto-Gouveia et al 2014).…”

“…Unlike other widely used measures that focus on specific aspects of the physical appearance (e.g., excess weight; Thompson et al, 1995) as the potential reason for being the target of negative social interactions, the BIVES assesses victimization experiences related to physical appearance in general. Given the growing evidence suggesting the negative effects of perceptions that one's physical self may be the cause for negative social experiences, despite actual physical appearance characteristics (e.g., Ferreira et al 2013;Duarte, Pinto-Gouveia, and Rodrigues, 2015), the use of a generic body image-focused victimization scale holds significant potential for researchers and clinicians. Moreover, by allowing the assessment of the occurrence and impact of these experiences perpetrated by two relevant distinct sources -peers and parents -this measure may be an important contribution for the development of conceptualization models and clinical research investigating the specific effect of these experiences on a series of psychological adjustment indicators and processes.…”

“…Nonetheless, such self-perceptions may be greatly influenced by one's perceptions of evaluations by others (Ferreira, PintoGouveia, and Duarte 2013;Pinto-Gouveia, Ferreira, and Duarte 2014;Gilbert 2002), and research suggests the negative effects of others' criticism, rejection or even attacks because of one's physical appearance Duarte, Pinto-Gouveia, Ferreira, and Batista 2015;Duarte, Pinto-Gouveia and Rodrigues, 2015). Especially among women, bullying or teasing (a more verbal form of victimization characterized by insults, name-calling or negative comments) by peers about physical appearance have been associated with poorer psychological adjustment, feelings of inferiority and shame, body dissatisfaction and disordered eating, namely binge eating (Lunde, Frisén, and Hwang 2006;Matos et al 2015;Sweetingham and Waller 2008;Menzel et al 2010;Haines et al 2006).…”

Can Self-Reassurance Buffer against the Impact of Bullying? Effects on Body Shame and Disordered Eating in Adolescence

“…Also, there is evidence suggesting that bullying is associated with adolescents' negative perceptions that their body is the target of criticism from others (Lunde, Frisén, & Hwang, 2006). A recent study conducted with adolescent girls revealed that the extent to which bullying is associated with eating psychopathology symptoms is influenced by how bullying becomes linked to body image shame and self-criticism (Duarte, Pinto-Gouveia, & Rodrigues, 2015). Moreover, bullying experiences may have lasting effects on body image and eating-related difficulties.…”