Body image and eating disturbance among south Asian‐American women: The role of racial teasing

Abstract

Objective: Acculturation and loss of ethnic identification have been proposed as risk factors for eating and body image disturbance among women of color. This study investigated whether being teased about racial or ethnic features might also play a role in these disturbances in minority women. Methods: One hundred twenty-two college women of South Asian descent completed questionnaire measures of disturbed eating behavior, body image dissatisfaction, distress, self-esteem, acculturation, ethnic identification, and racial teasing. Results: History of hurtful racial teasing, but not acculturation or ethnic disidentification, was associated with disturbed eating and body image, even after controlling for distress, self-esteem, and body mass. Conclusion: The psychological impact of racial teasing may be a potent but neglected source of eating and body image disturbance among minority women.

Disordered Eating Among Asian/Asian American Women

“…In addition, a higher ethnic identity was found to be associated with lower body dissatisfaction. This pattern is consistent with theoretical views about the protective nature of ethnic identity (Croll et al, 2002), but not consistent with studies that did not find such a link (Iyer & Haslam, 2003;Phan & Tylka, 2006). However, different body image measures were used across studies.…”

“…With regard to racial/ethnic teasing, consistent with previous research (Iyer & Haslam, 2003;Reddy & Crowther, 2007), a history of racial/ethnic teasing was associated with lower self-esteem, greater endorsement of media beauty ideals, more body dissatisfaction, and higher levels of disordered eating. However, when mediators were considered, the structural model indicated racial/ethnic teasing only had significant direct effects on media internalization.…”

“…In a sample of Taiwanese American women, Tsai, Curbow, and Heinberg (2003) found that a stronger ethnic identity was associated with lower levels of disordered eating, but Sabik, Cole, and Ward (2010), using the same measure of ethnic identity, found that a stronger ethnic identity predicted a greater drive for thinness in a diverse sample of Asian/Asian American women. Other studies found ethnic identity had no associations with body dissatisfaction, disordered eating (Iyer & Haslam, 2003;Phan & Tylka, 2006), or media internalization (Phan & Tylka, 2006). Because of the inconsistent findings from previous research, the third hypothesis of the present study posited that ethnic identity would be positively associated with self-esteem, but the links between ethnic identity and other criterion variables were explored without specification.…”

From opposition to alliance: Asian Westerners’ drive to fit in to a White society

“…For racial minorities, who possess phenotypic features that don't conform to this ideal, adherence to the White ideal can be damaging (Cheng, 2014;Iyer & Haslam, 2003;Reddy & Crowther, 2007). The present studies found evidence for an actual-ideal discrepancy in how racial minorities perceived themselves, phenotypically.…”

“…Supporting this notion, experiences of racial teasing and perceived racial discrimination are associated with racial minorities' internalization of general media standards of beauty (Cheng, 2014), and body dissatisfaction (Iyer & Haslam, 2003;Reddy & Crowther, 2007).…”