Sexual Orientation, Peer Influence, Body Dissatisfaction, and Eudaimonic Well-Being in Italian Men

Abstract

Having a lean and athletic physique is increasingly important for Italian men. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to analyze the relationship between men’s dissatisfaction with muscularity and well-being, conceptualized in terms of the realization of one’s true potential and the experience of purpose or meaning in life (i.e., eudaimonic well-being), considering also the role of sexual orientation and peer influence. Participants (385 Italian men with a mean age of 28.61 years, SD = 9.65) completed a questionnaire assessing the variables of interest. Path analysis indicated that sexual orientation was linked to eudaimonic well-being via muscularity dissatisfaction. Teasing about muscularity predicted men’s eudaimonic well-being both directly and via muscularity dissatisfaction. Peer attributions and appearance conversations predicted well-being through the mediation of athletic internalization and body dissatisfaction. Peer attributions, but not appearance conversations, were also directly linked to well-being. To improve broad aspects of men’s well-being, prevention and treatment programs should be directed to increase men’s ability to resist different forms of pressure, including that of their peers. These kinds of programs could be especially useful for gay men, who are more likely to experience body dissatisfaction and, in turn, poor psychological functioning.

Who is at risk? Gendered psychological correlates in Italian students’ sexual risk profiles

“…In line with our predictions, our analyses showed that a positive view of one's body (i.e., body satisfaction) was associated with a higher probability of adopting risky (and promiscuous) sexual behaviours among young men. These findings are in line with previous international data (Gillen et al, 2006) that suggest that men who like their bodies are likely to feel more confident with their muscularity, which is stereotypically linked to sexual freedom and power (Matera et al, 2019). In addition, as we predicted, men who like themselves might be more resolute in satisfying their own needs, such as the achievement of pleasure, which is allegedly heightened when a condom is not used (Randolph et al, 2007).…”

“…If a woman does not like her body and does not value herself, she will probably feel embarrassed and unable to ask a man to use protection during sex. This gendered association may especially matter in the Italian context, where masculinity is still stereotypically linked to perceived power (Matera et al, 2019) and women are typically socialised to believe that they are weak and fragile (Biemmi, 2015).…”

The role of sexual orientation in the relationships between body perception, body weight dissatisfaction, physical comparison, and eating psychopathology in the cisgender population

“…However, more research is needed to confirm these points. The data in the literature seem to be more consistent when it comes to the higher prevalence of body dissatisfaction in gay than in heterosexual men, which is probably due to the emphasis placed on physical appearance in the gay culture and because of pressure from social and interpersonal factors [9,[26][27][28]. For example, it has been suggested that-due to different beauty ideals and their minority status-gay men are slightly more vulnerable to body dissatisfaction than heterosexual men [29][30][31][32].…”

Study protocol for Goodform - a classroom-based intervention to enhance body image and prevent doping and supplement use in adolescent boys

“…The mean score for each subscale will be used in analyses. Scores on all subscales of the SATAQ-4-R have good internal consistency in men [45] and have displayed good convergent validity (i.e., medium to large correlations) with other measures of body dissatisfaction and ED symptoms in men [46].…”