Does masculinity moderate the relationship of height with height dissatisfaction? Findings from an Internet forum for short statured men

The differential effects of state and trait masculinity and femininity on body satisfaction among sexual minority men

Masculine men are more likely to idealise being tall, muscular, and lean. Feminine men, on the other hand, are more likely to idealise leanness. At the trait level, masculinity and femininity have been linked with an unhealthy striving for these idealised traits and body dissatisfaction. However, it is unclear how feeling masculine or feminine in the moment might be associated with body satisfaction. Is feeling masculine and/or feminine associated with a boost in body satisfaction? In the first large-scale experience sampling study of masculinity and femininity (n_observations=25,133; N_participants=530), we find that state masculinity and femininity, but not trait, are associated with increased body satisfaction among sexual minority men. We also find a gender congruence effect whereby the positive associations between state masculinity/femininity on body satisfaction are more pronounced when these feelings align with trait levels of masculinity/femininity. Exploratory analyses revealed a moderating effect of eating disorder history. The associations between masculinity and femininity on body satisfaction were amplified for people who had been diagnosed with an eating disorder. This study presents the first evidence that the links between masculinity and femininity and body satisfaction can be delineated based on whether they are measured as traits or states.

Exploration of height dissatisfaction, muscle dissatisfaction, body ideals, and eating disorder symptoms in men

Objective: Height is a significant, yet under-studied dimension of body dissatisfaction in men. The present study examined the relationship between height dissatisfaction, height, muscle and fat dissatisfaction, body ideals, and eating disorder symptoms in men. Participants and methods: Participants were a sample of male undergraduate Australian students (N = 224) who were administered self-report measures of height, muscle, and fat dissatisfaction, eating disorder symptoms, and muscle and body fat body-ideals, and reported their height. Results: Results showed that height, muscle dissatisfaction, and desired muscularity were important for explaining height dissatisfaction. Additionally, although eating disorder symptoms did not uniquely predict height dissatisfaction, there were small positive correlations between height dissatisfaction and eating disorder symptoms. Conclusions: This study highlights the importance of height in male body dissatisfaction and its association with muscular dissatisfaction and desired muscularity, as well as the potential significance of height in male eating disorders.

Height dissatisfaction and loneliness among adolescents: the chain mediating role of social anxiety and social support

Previous research on body dissatisfaction has mainly focused on the dissatisfaction with weight and appearance. Limited research has examined the dissatisfaction with another major body feature that is important to our social relationships and personal well-being, namely, body height. We hypothesized that height dissatisfaction would predict more intense loneliness among adolescents, and that this relationship is mediated by greater social anxiety and reduced social support. Participants of this study were 515 Chinese high school students. The Shortness subscale of the Negative Physical Self Scale, Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents, Perceived Social Support Scale, and ULS-8 were integrated into a paper-and-pencil survey. The results revealed that adolescents with high levels of height dissatisfaction reported higher levels of loneliness. A chain mediation model showed that the relationship between height dissatisfaction and loneliness could be both sequentially mediated by social anxiety and social support, and mediated by social anxiety. However, no mediating role of social support was found. We also found that body height did not predict social anxiety or social support, but can predict loneliness. The current findings provide novel insights into the occurrence of loneliness among adolescents, and indicate that negative self-perceptions of body height and the resulting social anxiety can lead to loneliness.

Prospective Pathways to Depressive Symptoms and Disordered Eating in Adolescence: A 7-Year Longitudinal Cohort Study

Eating pathology and depressive symptoms increase during adolescence, yet predictive pathways remain predominantly unexplored, despite their implications for prevention. The present study aimed to identify shared risk factors for eating pathology and depressive symptoms by evaluating an adapted Dual-Pathway Model of disordered eating, which postulated that higher BMI would predict disordered eating and depressive symptoms via pathways between body dissatisfaction, later BMI, depressive symptoms, and visible indicators of puberty (breast development for girls, height for boys). The participants were 8915 children (49% girls) from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, a population-based cohort study of British children, who were assessed at different intervals between the age of 7 to 14 years. Path analyses revealed that, for girls, childhood BMI exerted indirect effects on disordered eating via body dissatisfaction, depressive symptoms, and more advanced breast development, with indirect pathways identified to depressive symptoms via earlier depressive symptoms and more advanced breast development. For boys, childhood BMI had indirect effects on disordered eating via later BMI and body dissatisfaction, while only earlier depressive symptoms were found to have an independent and direct effect on adolescent depressive symptoms. This study reveals shared and independent risk factors for eating pathology and depressive symptoms in adolescence and suggests targets for preventative interventions, including higher BMI, body dissatisfaction, and depressive symptoms, in addition to advanced breast development, for girls.