Physical appearance comparisons and symptoms of disordered eating: The mediating role of social physique anxiety in Spanish adolescents

Examining the role of social physique anxiety on the relationship between physical appearance comparisons and disordered eating symptoms among Spanish emerging adults

“…According to the tenets of cognitive‐behavioral models of body image, DE may emerge as a maladaptive strategy to cope with negative body‐related cognitions and affects (Cash, 2012). In support of these theoretical proposals, empirical evidence has been found associating body‐related cognitive processes such as physical appearance comparison (PAC) to DE (Alcaraz‐Ibáñez, 2017; Alcaraz‐Ibáñez, Sicilia, Díez‐Fernández & Paterna, 2020; Fitzsimmons‐Craft, Harney, Brownstone, Higgins & Bardone‐Cone, 2012; Walker, Thornton, De Choudhury, Teevan, Bulik, Levinson & Zerwas, 2015). Similarly, a body‐related affective experience such as social physique anxiety (SPA; i.e., the distressed feelings experienced as a result of believing that the own body could be negatively evaluated by others; Hart, Leary & Rejeski, 1989) has been also consistently associated with DE (Alcaraz‐Ibáñez & Sicilia, 2020; Alcaraz‐Ibáñez et al ., 2020; Fitzsimmons‐Craft, Harney et al, 2012; Lanfranchi, Maïano, Morin & Therme, 2015).…”

“…For instance, findings from a study conducted among young adult women suggest that these variables may exert a synergistic/moderating effect on DE or, in other words, that the positive relationship between one of these two variables and DE may increase in the presence of high levels in the other (Fitzsimmons‐Craft, Harney et al, 2012). Findings from another study conducted among an adolescent sample (aged between 12 and 17) examined the plausibility of both moderation and mediation effects, but only found support for the latter (Alcaraz‐Ibáñez et al ., 2020). However, the research conducted by Alcaraz‐Ibáñez et al .…”

“…However, the research conducted by Alcaraz‐Ibáñez et al . (2020) was limited to adolescent participants and does not allow the generalization of the mediating effect of SPA on the relationship between PAC and DE to other populations particularly sensitive to experience both body‐related concerns and DE. A clear example of the latter would be emerging adults (Shagar, Harris, Boddy & Donovan, 2017).…”

“…The present study examined the moderating and mediating role of SPA on the relationship between PAC and DE symptoms in a sample of emerging adults of both sexes. By doing this, the present study extends previous research that addressed this issue in adolescent population (Alcaraz‐Ibáñez et al ., 2020). On the basis of the results of previous studies (Alcaraz‐Ibáñez et al ., 2020; Fitzsimmons‐Craft, Harney et al, 2012), it was hypothesized that both PAC and SPA would be positively related to DE symptoms.…”

“…By doing this, the present study extends previous research that addressed this issue in adolescent population (Alcaraz‐Ibáñez et al ., 2020). On the basis of the results of previous studies (Alcaraz‐Ibáñez et al ., 2020; Fitzsimmons‐Craft, Harney et al, 2012), it was hypothesized that both PAC and SPA would be positively related to DE symptoms. In addition, the hypothesized relationships were expected to emerge after controlling for several variables of relevance in terms of eating disorders' aetiology such as sex, age, and body mass index (BMI) (Alcaraz‐Ibáñez, 2017; Alcaraz‐Ibáñez et al ., 2020; Ferreiro, Seoane & Senra, 2012; Walker et al ., 2015).…”