Weight-Related Teasing in the School Environment: Associations with Psychosocial Health and Weight Control Practices Among Adolescent Boys and Girls

Lampard, Amy M.; MacLehose, Richard F.; Eisenberg, Marla E.; Neumark‐Sztainer, Dianne; Davison, Kirsten K.

doi:10.1007/s10964-013-0086-3

Cited by 78 publications

(82 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…The gender differences in the associations between social characteristics and emotional well-being are similar to previous findings (9,43), and may be attributable to differences in the ways in which girls and boys are socialized to respond to peers, social norms and related influences generally. Prior research regarding media influences in particular has shown that social comparison with media figures – a possible pathway in the relationship between media exposure and body image – is stronger for girls than boys (9), which may also explain the present findings.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 85%

“…Viewing characters’ on-screen experiences, such as weight teasing, may therefore be detrimental to the body satisfaction of young people, similar to weight stigma observed in the real world ( e.g. , in school (43)). Furthermore, research has consistently noted poorer body satisfaction among women and girls and those who are overweight or obese (7); the strength of media influence may further depend on characteristics of on-screen role models, as young people are more likely to identify with characters who are similar to themselves in terms of gender or other characteristics (46).…”

Section: Weight Teasing and Body Satisfactionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Experiencing weight teasing from family members or peers has been associated with body dissatisfaction, disordered eating behaviors, low self-esteem, depressive symptoms, and suicide involvement in both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies (36–41), with stronger effects found for girls (42). In addition to interpersonal exchanges, high levels of weight-related teasing in the school environment have been associated with poorer body satisfaction among girls, even after accounting for their own experience of being teased about weight (43); these findings suggest that socio-environmental messages about weight and shape may be internalized even when they are not directed at the individual.…”

Section: Weight Teasing and Body Satisfactionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Exposure to teasing on popular television shows and associations with adolescent body satisfaction

Eisenberg

Ward

Linde

et al. 2017

Journal of Psychosomatic Research

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Objective This study uses a novel mixed methods design to examine the relationship between incidents of teasing in popular television shows and body satisfaction of adolescent viewers. Methods Survey data were used to identify 25 favorite television shows in a large population-based sample of Minnesota adolescents (N=2793, age=14.4 years). Data from content analysis of teasing incidents in popular shows were linked to adolescent survey data. Linear regression models examined associations between exposure to on-screen teasing in adolescents’ own favorite shows and their body satisfaction. Effect modification by adolescent weight status was tested using interaction terms. Results Teasing on TV was common, with 3.3 incidents per episode; over one-quarter of teasing was weight/shape-related. Exposure to weight/shape-related teasing (β = −.43, p=.008) and teasing with overweight targets (β = −.03, p=.02) was inversely associated with girls’ body satisfaction; no associations were found for boys. Findings were similar regardless of the adolescent viewer’s weight status. Conclusions Families, health care providers, media literacy programs and the entertainment industry are encouraged to consider the negative effects exposure to weight stigmatization can have on adolescent girls.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 85%

Section: Weight Teasing and Body Satisfactionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Weight Teasing and Body Satisfactionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Exposure to teasing on popular television shows and associations with adolescent body satisfaction

Eisenberg

Ward

Linde

et al. 2017

Journal of Psychosomatic Research

Self Cite

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“…Observing peer victimization or mistreatment of particular groups (e.g., overweight, LGBT youth) can negatively affect adjustment (e.g., Lampard, MacLehose, Eisenberg, Neumark-Sztainer, & Davison, 2014; Rivers, Poteat, Noret, & Ashurst, 2009). Such observations may promote perceptions of the school environment as unsafe, and negative school climate is linked to poor psychosocial adjustment (e.g., Brand, Felner, Shim, Seitsinger, & Dumas, 2003).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do I fit in? Psychosocial ramifications of low gender typicality in early adolescence

Smith

Juvonen

2017

Journal of Adolescence

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The current longitudinal study was designed to examine one of the possible underlying mechanisms that can help account for why low gender typicality (i.e., not feeling like a typical boy or girl) is related to subsequent psychosocial adjustment problems: peer victimization. Relying on a large (N ¼ 5,991, 52% female), ethnically diverse U.S. sample, the results suggested that peer victimization at 7th grade partially accounts for associations between 7th grade gender typicality and 8th grade social anxiety, somatic complaints, and externalizing behavior, when controlling for earlier (e.g., 6th grade) levels of adjustment. Associations were similar across ethnic groups. Peer victimization mediated associations for boys and girls across all outcomes; however, girls showed stronger associations with somatic complaints and boys showed stronger associations with externalizing behavior. These results suggest that attempts to improve adjustment for youth feeling low gender typicality should focus in part on reducing peer victimization.

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“…For example, in a large sample of US adolescents, an association between physical abuse from a partner and extreme weight control behaviours was found, with participants reporting dating violence and rape being more likely to report EXTREME DIETING BEHAVIOURS 4 vomiting, and the use of diet pills and laxatives in order to lose weight than those not reporting such experiences (Ackard and Neumark-Sztainer, 2002). Bullying is associated with weight control behaviours in adolescents (Farrow and Fox, 2011, Gonsalves et al, 2013, Lampard et al, 2014. Less is known about the association between electronic bullying and weight control behaviours, the relevance of which has increased in recent years (Kowalski and Limber, 2013).…”

Section: Abstract: Extreme Dieting Behaviours; Psychosocial Correlatementioning

confidence: 99%

Gender differences and correlates of extreme dieting behaviours in US adolescents

2015

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This paper examined correlates of and gender differences in extreme dieting behaviours (EDBs) among 15,425 US adolescents from the 2011 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Suicidal thoughts and plans, and binge drinking were related to EDBs in females, but not in males.Suicide attempts, daily smoking, and marijuana use were related to EDBs in males, but not females. Results suggest EDBs are associated with a range of negative psychosocial factors and substance use behaviours, and that these differ for boys and girls. Additional research is required to elucidate these relationships, and these results provide a focus for future research, prevention and intervention efforts. Keywords: Extreme dieting behaviours; Psychosocial Correlates; Youth Risk BehaviorSurvey (YRBS); Gender Differences. EXTREME DIETING BEHAVIOURS 3 Adolescents are at an increased risk of engaging in unhealthy or extreme weight control behaviours due to an enhanced concern over body shape and weight (Findlay, 2004, Thøgersen-Ntoumani et al., 2010. Unhealthy weight control behaviours can range from the reduction of food intake and skipping meals (Patton et al., 1997, Neumark-Sztainer et al., 2011 to more extreme behaviours such as vomiting and the consumption of laxatives (Crow et al., 2006) (Cruz-Sáez et al., 2013). Gender is known to be an important factor in disordered eating behaviours, but less is known about the underlying reasons for observed gender differences. Recent nationally representative figures suggest that in US high school students 61% of girls and 32% of boys are trying to lose weight; 12% reported fasting, 5% reported diet pill consumption, and 4% reported vomiting or laxative use (Eaton et al., 2012). Weight control behaviours are a public health concern due to their negative consequences, including increased risk of continuing the behaviour into early adulthood (Neumark-Sztainer et al., 2011), and increased risk of weight gain, obesity onset and eating disorder onset (Liechty and Lee, 2013). Efforts are, therefore, needed to identify the factors associated with extreme weight control behaviours. Both the associated factors of extreme dieting behaviours and the behaviours themselves should be addressed during adolescence to enhance prevention efforts. Many factors may contribute to these behaviours; however, associations with victimization, suicidal thoughts and behaviours, depressive symptoms, body weight perceptions, and psychoactive drug use have been shown in previous research to be of importance and are further examined in this study.Previous research suggests an association between unwanted sexual experiences, such as those involving psychological or physical pressure, and disordered eating in adolescents (Capitaine et al., 2011). For example, in a large sample of US adolescents, an association between physical abuse from a partner and extreme weight control behaviours was found, with participants reporting dating violence and rape being more likely to report EXTREME DIETING BEHAVIOURS 4 vomiting, and the use of diet pil...

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Weight-Related Teasing in the School Environment: Associations with Psychosocial Health and Weight Control Practices Among Adolescent Boys and Girls

Cited by 78 publications

References 39 publications

Exposure to teasing on popular television shows and associations with adolescent body satisfaction

Exposure to teasing on popular television shows and associations with adolescent body satisfaction

Do I fit in? Psychosocial ramifications of low gender typicality in early adolescence

Gender differences and correlates of extreme dieting behaviours in US adolescents

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