Are Contingencies of Self-Worth Associated with Body Image in Indian and British Women?

Adaptation and validation of the Body Image Life Disengagement Questionnaire (BILD-Q) for use in english among adolescents in urban India

Body image concerns are a global issue among adolescents, including in India. These concerns can prevent adolescents from engaging in everyday life activities, impeding social and academic development. However, at present, there are no psychometrically valid measures to assess such impact in the Indian context. This study culturally adapted and validated the Body Image Life Disengagement Questionnaire (BILD-Q) for use in English among adolescents in urban India. A total of 1427 adolescents completed an adapted version of the BILD-Q along with additional measures pertaining to body image. Exploratory factor analysis identified one dimension of body image life disengagement, which provided the best fit. The 9-item one-factor model was further supported by confirmatory factor analysis. The scale demonstrated good internal consistency and test re-test reliability. Further analysis demonstrated that the scale can be used to compare scores between boys and girls without measurement bias. This study presents a culturally adapted version of the BILD-Q, which can be used as a valid and reliable measure to assess the impact of body image concerns on life disengagement among English-speaking adolescents in urban India.

The stakes of self-worth: Examining contingencies of self-worth to clarify the association between global self-esteem and eating disturbances in college women

OBJECTIVE

The present study tested a hypothesized mediation model in which the seven contingencies of self-worth proposed by Crocker and Wolfe mediate the association between global self-esteem and eating disturbances in college women.

METHOD

This study utilized a sample of 408 college women. Path analysis was used to produce a model in which the association between global self-esteem and eating disturbances was accounted for through contingencies of self-worth.

RESULTS

The finalized model indicated that self-worth based on appearance and competition mediated the link between global self-esteem and both drive for thinness and bulimic symptoms. Self-worth based on virtue mediated the link between global self-esteem and bulimic symptoms.

CONCLUSION

The present findings clarify facets of self-worth accounting for the association between global self-esteem and eating disturbances in college women, and point to how self-worth based on one's appearance, or the ability to outdo others, is centrally implicated in this relationship.