Self-objectification and depression: an integrative systematic review

Testing body-related components of objectification theory: A meta-analysis of the relations between body shame, self-objectification, and body dissatisfaction

Objectification theory has been instrumental in better understanding risk for eating disorders, depression, and sexual dysfunction, with self-objectification and body shame as serial mediators leading to these outcomes. Although originally proposed to explain these mental health outcomes in heterosexual women, researchers have extended objectification theory to individuals of various ages, racial identities, and sexual and gender identities. We conducted a systematic literature review of empirical peer-reviewed published research examining the relationship between the constructs of self-objectification, body dissatisfaction, and body shame in adult, youth, and LGBTQ+ samples. Our search yielded 5200 results, of which 318 met inclusion criteria. Of the papers included in this review, 26 reported correlations with sexual and gender diverse samples, 43 reported correlations with youth samples, and 249 reported correlations with samples of general adults (non-sexual or gender minorities). The meta-analyses yielded significant, moderate, positive correlations between body dissatisfaction and self-objectification, and between body shame and self-objectification, for each of the sub-samples. The majority of samples were predominantly White and cisgender female, suggesting the need for additional research examining these constructs among racial and gender minority populations. Overall, the results of this review highlight the unique contributions of body shame and body dissatisfaction to self-objectifying behaviors, and identify the moderating role of race and gender in these interrelations.

Integrating social media, body shame and psychological distress within the Elaborated Sociocultural Model

The Elaborated Sociocultural Model proposes exposure to sociocultural appearance pressures increases women's internalisation of the thin ideal, their engagement in social comparison and body surveillance, and subsequent body dissatisfaction and disturbances in eating (Fitzsimmons-Craft et al., 2011). Although this model has received some empirical support, it is limited in that it does not currently account for social media as a contemporary source of appearance pressure, nor include additional known outcomes of thin ideal internalisation (i.e., body shame, psychological distress). The current study tested the integration of these variables within the Elaborated Sociocultural Model. Using structural equation modelling with latent variables, the extended model provided acceptable to good fit to the data in a sample of 271 female participants. A latent variable representing sociocultural appearance pressures originating from social media, traditional media, family and peers was found to significantly predict thin ideal internalisation and body image concerns. Furthermore, both social comparison and body surveillance emerged as indirect mediators of the relationship between thin ideal internalisation and body image concerns, which in turn, increased report of restrained eating and psychological distress. Aligning with previous research, this extended model offers a useful and comprehensive framework for investigating women's body image.

Self-objectification in Chinese pregnant women: The mixed role of functionality appreciation

Extensions of objectification theory to pregnant women are few and continued research is needed to better understand the psychological consequences of significant changes to physical appearance during pregnancy. Specific interests in this area include functionality appreciation which may be particularly relevant to pregnancy. Research in this area is also lacking representation of non-Western cultural contexts. To this end, we employed an online survey to assess objectification theory and functionality appreciation in Chinese pregnant women (N = 345). Correlations showed that higher body surveillance and body shame were associated with higher disordered eating and psychological distress, and higher functionality appreciation was associated with lower body surveillance, body shame, and disordered eating. Mediation analyses suggested that higher body surveillance was associated with higher body shame which, in turn, was associated with higher disordered eating and psychological distress. Main effects suggested a negative association between functionality appreciation and body shame, but moderation analyses suggested that higher functionality appreciation strengthened the positive association between body surveillance and body shame. Findings underscore objectification theory as a useful framework to understand eating and body image disturbances and psychological distress in Chinese pregnant women and outline future directions to clarify the temporal nature of these associations and the precise role of functionality appreciation.

Objectification and body esteem: age group patterns in women's psychological functioning

OBJECTIVES

Sexual objectification is related to negative outcomes for young adult women, but whether sexual objectification operates similarly for women in mid-life or older adulthood is less clear. Our aim was to assess self-objectification and sexually objectifying experiences for women in two different age groups, 18-27 and 48-90 and, further, test the relationship between objectification and psychological functioning. Based on objectification theory, we hypothesized that young adults would report higher self-objectification and sexually objectifying experiences compared to women in the older group. We further expected that these age differences would be related to body esteem and psychological functioning.

METHODS

We surveyed 218 women regarding their sexually objectifying experiences and self-objectification, as well as body esteem, global self-esteem, and mood/anxiety, all outcomes theoretically expected to be related to sexual objectification and self-objectification.

RESULTS

Sexually objectifying experiences and self-objectification were correlated with lower body esteem, lower global self-esteem, and higher mood/anxiety symptoms. Further, older women reported lower objectification and better psychological functioning. Tests of serial mediation showed that the relationship between age and two outcomes (self-esteem and mood/anxiety symptoms) was mediated by self-objectification and body esteem, while the model using experiences of sexually objectifying experiences was not supported.

CONCLUSION

Older women differed from younger women in the impact of self-objectification. We discuss these outcomes referencing age patterns and objectification theory.

Self-Objectification and Self-Sexualizing Appearance Behaviors in Chinese Lesbian and Bisexual Females: Moderating Effect of Femme/Butch/Androgyne Identity

In heterosexual populations, self-objectification is associated with self-sexualizing appearance behaviors. This study examined the relationship between self-objectification and self-sexualizing appearance behaviors and the moderating effect of butch/androgynous/femme sexual self-label identification in Chinese bisexual and lesbian females. We recruited 637 bisexual and lesbian females to complete an online questionnaire that asked about demographic information and feminine and masculine self-sexualizing appearance behaviors and measured the Objectified Body Consciousness Scale. Feminine self-sexualizing appearance behaviors include wearing high heels, short skirts, low-cut outfits, skinny clothes and makeup. Masculine self-sexualizing appearance behaviors include wearing short hair and binding breasts. Femme-identified females scored higher on body surveillance than did butch- and androgynous-identified females. Butch-identified females reported having more masculine self-sexualizing behaviors, whereas femme-identified females reported having more feminine self-sexualizing appearance behaviors. Sexual self-label identification moderated the relationship between self-objectification and feminine self-sexualizing behaviors. Body surveillance was significantly associated with feminine self-sexualizing behaviors in femme- and androgynous-identified females but not in butch-identified females. Body shame was negatively associated with feminine self-sexualizing appearance behaviors in androgynous-identified females. The current findings highlight the role of sexual self-label identification in self-objectification among Chinese bisexual and lesbian females. The findings imply the heterogeneousness of self-objectification among Chinese bisexual and lesbian females.

Self-Objectification, Disordered Eating and Sexual Orientation in Men

The interplay between disordered eating, depressive symptoms and self-objectification differs between genders and sexual orientations, and merits further study in homosexual and heterosexual men. We examined disordered eating, depressive symptoms and self-objectification in a sample of Israeli heterosexual and homosexual men. Participants were 215 men aged 19-65, 108 of whom were classified by the Kinsey scale as being heterosexual and 107 as homosexual. They completed online measures of self-objectification, disordered eating and depressive symptoms. Heterosexual men reported lower levels of disordered eating and self-objectification than homosexual men, however the difference in depressive symptoms was not statistically significant. Correlations between disordered eating, self-objectification and depressive symptoms when controlling for age, BMI and number of children were all significant, with similar patterns of association for heterosexual and homosexual men. Self-objectification partially mediated the association between sexual orientation and disordered eating. However, contrary to our hypothesis, sexual orientation (homosexual/heterosexual) did not moderate the association between disordered eating and self-objectification. The tendency of homosexual men towards self-objectification is linked to unhealthy eating habits. Self-objectification helps explain the propensity of homosexual versus heterosexual men to develop disordered eating and possibly eating disorders. It should therefore be targeted in prevention and in therapy.

Relationship of Objectified Short-Form Videos Exposure to Satisfaction and Objectification in Relationships Among Chinese Women: A Pilot Study

Studies have indicated the impact of exposure to objectifying media on objectification and relationship satisfaction from a romantic context. This study examined the association between viewing objectified short-form videos and self-and partner-objectification (i.e., objectifying one's partner), as well as relationship satisfaction among Chinese women. The study participants comprised 241 Chinese women in romantic relationships who were recruited online. Participants completed measures of viewing objectified male and female videos, self-objectification (SO), partner-objectification (PO), and relationship satisfaction. The results showed a significant association between exposure to objectified female videos and SO, but not with relationship satisfaction. Exposure to objectified male videos was associated significantly with PO. The indirect effect of objectified male videos exposure on relationship satisfaction via PO was significant. This implies that PO plays an important role in relationship satisfaction as opposed to SO.

Testing the associations between internalized cisgenderism, self-objectification, body shame, and mental health correlates in the framework of the pantheoretical model of dehumanization: A study in Chinese transgender adults

As an integrated framework informed by the Minority Stress Model and Objectification Theory, the Pantheoretical Model of Dehumanization was proposed to better understand mental health outcomes in transgender individuals. With a sample of 200 Chinese transgender adults, the present study tested the associations and potential mechanisms between internalized cisgenderism, self-objectification, body shame, and mental health correlates in the framework of the Pantheoretical Model of Dehumanization. Correlation and regression analyses were used. Results showed that internalized cisgenderism was positively related to body shame, psychological distress, disordered eating, non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts. Body shame showed significant indirect effects in the association between internalized cisgenderism and suicide attempts, and in the associations between internalized cisgenderism and psychological distress, disordered eating, and NSSI. In addition, body shame had significant indirect effects in the associations between body surveillance and disordered eating, NSSI, and suicide attempts, and in the association between body surveillance and psychological distress. As the first study testing the associations of core variables in the Pantheoretical Model of Dehumanization in a Chinese transgender sample, the findings largely supported the model in describing meaningful variance in Chinese transgender adults' psychological distress, disordered eating, and self-injurious thoughts and behaviors.

What can my body do for me? Guided body-functionality mirror gazing task improved college women's body appreciation and body functionality orientation

Objective: Focusing on body functionality - what the body can do - may benefit women's body image. This pilot study examined the effects of focusing on body functionality appreciation during an audio-guided mirror gazing task (F-MGT). Participants: 101 college women, M(SD)_AGE = 19.49(1.31), were alternately assigned to F-MGT or a comparison with no guidance on how to examine the body, directed attention mirror gazing task (DA-MGT). Methods: Participants self-reported pre- and post-MGT body appreciation, state appearance satisfaction, and orientation to and satisfaction with physical functionality. Results: Group interactions were significant for body appreciation and functionality orientation. DA-MGT decreased body appreciation from pre- to post-MGT; F-MGT did not change. There were no significant interactions in post-MGT state appearance satisfaction or functionality satisfaction, though state appearance satisfaction increased significantly in F-MGT. Conclusions: Integrating body functionality may buffer against harmful effects of mirror gazing. Given F-MGT's brevity, additional work must assess its potential as an intervention technique.

A Preliminary Experimental Study of Self-Objectification and Risky Sex Behavior Among a University Sample of Cisgender Women in the U.S

Self-objectification is associated with a number of negative mental and behavioral outcomes. Though previous research has established associations between self-objectification and risky sex, no study to date has examined whether self-objectification affects propensity to engage in risky sex. The current research employed an experimental design to examine the effect of heightened self-objectification on a laboratory analog of risky sex (n = 181). We observed that when college-attending women experienced a heightened state of self-objectification, they were more likely to engage in sex without a condom and less likely to wait to use a condom with a highly desirable partner. Given the frequency of intended and unintended objectifying messages that young women face, this increase in willingness to engage in risky sex behavior represents a consequential health concern.

Self-objectification during the perinatal period: The role of body surveillance in maternal and infant wellbeing

Pregnancy represents a unique time during which women's bodies undergo significant physical changes (e.g., expanding belly, larger breasts, weight gain) that can elicit increased objectification. Experiences of objectification set the stage for women to view themselves as sexual objects (i.e., self-objectification) and is associated with adverse mental health outcomes. Although women may experience heightened self-objectification and behavioral consequences (such as body surveillance) due to the objectification of pregnant bodies in Western cultures, there are remarkably few studies examining objectification theory among women during the perinatal period. The present study investigated the impact of body surveillance, a consequence of self-objectification, on maternal mental health, mother-infant bonding, and infant socioemotional outcomes in a sample of 159 women navigating pregnancy and postpartum. Utilizing a serial mediation model, we found that mothers who endorsed higher levels of body surveillance during pregnancy reported more depressive symptoms and body dissatisfaction, which were associated with greater impairments in mother-infant bonding following childbirth and more infant socioemotional dysfunction at 1-year postpartum. Maternal prenatal depressive symptoms emerged as a unique mechanism through which body surveillance predicted bonding impairments and subsequent infant outcomes. Results highlight the critical need for early intervention efforts that not only target general depression, but also promote body functionality and acceptance over the Western "thin ideal" of attractiveness among expecting mothers.

Self-objectification during the perinatal period: The role of body surveillance in maternal and infant wellbeing

Pregnancy represents a unique time during which women's bodies undergo significant physical changes (e.g., expanding belly, larger breasts, weight gain) that can elicit increased objectification. Experiences of objectification set the stage for women to view themselves as sexual objects (i.e., self-objectification) and is associated with adverse mental health outcomes. Although women may experience heightened self-objectification and behavioral consequences (such as body surveillance) due to the objectification of pregnant bodies in Western cultures, there are remarkably few studies examining objectification theory among women during the perinatal period. The present study investigated the impact of body surveillance, a consequence of self-objectification, on maternal mental health, mother-infant bonding, and infant socioemotional outcomes in a sample of 159 women navigating pregnancy and postpartum. Utilizing a serial mediation model, we found that mothers who endorsed higher levels of body surveillance during pregnancy reported more depressive symptoms and body dissatisfaction, which were associated with greater impairments in mother-infant bonding following childbirth and more infant socioemotional dysfunction at 1-year postpartum. Maternal prenatal depressive symptoms emerged as a unique mechanism through which body surveillance predicted bonding impairments and subsequent infant outcomes. Results highlight the critical need for early intervention efforts that not only target general depression, but also promote body functionality and acceptance over the Western "thin ideal" of attractiveness among expecting mothers.

Transgender Dehumanization and Mental Health: Microaggressions, Sexual Objectification, and Shame

Using structural equation modeling in a national, nonprobabilistic sample of 292 transgender women and men, this project extends the pantheoretical dehumanization framework by testing direct and indirect relations between dehumanization (i.e., a higher-order construct from experiences of transgender microaggressions and sexual objectification), internalization processes (i.e., internalized transnegativity, self-objectification), shame, and general mental health. The model explained 55% of the variance in general mental health. Direct relations between dehumanization and all internalization processes were positive and significant. Internalized transnegativity and shame were significant, negative, direct predictors of mental health, but neither dehumanization nor self-objectification were significant direct predictors of transgender mental health. Both self-objectification and internalized transnegativity directly predicted more feelings of shame. However, only shame yielded a significant indirect pathway from dehumanization to mental health. The indirect relations from self-objectification and internalized transnegativity to mental health through shame were significant. We discuss research, advocacy, and clinical implications.

Factorial Invariance of Scores on the Self-Objectification Beliefs and Behaviors Scale (SOBBS) Among Transgender and Nonbinary People

The dimensionality and factorial invariance of scores on the Self-Objectification Beliefs and Behaviors Scale (SOBBS) were examined with a sample of 590 transgender and nonbinary participants. Results failed to disconfirm the two-factor model and provided adequate estimates of internal consistency reliability. Strong, strict, and structural invariance of scores were observed.

Symptom association between social anxiety disorder, appearance anxiety, and eating disorders among Chinese University students: A network analysis to conceptualize comorbidity

Background

Incidences of social anxiety disorder (SAD), appearance anxiety, and eating disorders (ED) show an increased prevalence among young people. However, symptoms' associations between these disorders have not been investigated in depth. Network analysis is an approach that can be used to explain the relationship(s) between symptoms of different psychological disorders. Using network analysis, this study aimed to explore the association and potential interacting mechanisms between SAD, appearance anxiety, and ED.

Methods

This study included 96,218 University students from Jilin Province, China. SAD, appearance anxiety and ED were assessed using the Social Anxiety Subscale of the Self-Consciousness Scale (SASS), the Appearance Anxiety Scale Brief Version (AASBV), and the Sick, Control, One, Fat, Food questionnaire (SCOFF), Chinese versions. Network analysis was employed to investigate the symptom associations, while the stability of the network model was analyzed using statistical measures.

Results

The prevalence of ED among the total sample was 38% (95% CI: 38.1-38.8%), while this figure was 31.2% (95% CI: 30.7-31.6%) in males and 43.6% (95% CI: 43.2-44.0%) in females. Additionally, the total score of SAD was significantly higher in females (11.83 ± 5.37) than it in males (10.02 ± 5.46) (P < 0.001). While the total score of appearance anxiety was also different significantly in gender (39.21 ± 9.49 in females vs. 38 ± 9.42 in males) (P < 0.001). Results showed that ED was associated with all three aspects of appearance anxiety, including "appearance concern," "appearance satisfaction," and "wish for good looks." Appearance anxiety and SAD were also associated; specifically, symptoms of "appearance satisfaction" were significantly associated with the symptoms "easily talk to strangers" and "appearance concern", which was also significantly associated with "embarrassed". Compared with males, females showed significantly stronger associations with appearance anxiety symptoms, while ED symptoms were associated with "troubled by being watched" and "appearance concern".

Conclusion

Appearance anxiety was associated with both ED and SAD symptoms. ED may have a potential relationship with SAD, affecting appearance anxiety indirectly. Significant differences were found among males and females in symptom associations between appearance anxiety and SAD. This study therefore clarified that young people should have body-positive interventions and challenge the normative body image discourse, which may help alleviate symptoms of SAD and ED.

Which came first? Bulimia and emotional symptoms: A cross-lagged panel analysis

Purpose

Researchers have found growing evidence for the comorbidity link between bulimia and emotional symptoms among Chinese female youth. However, the prospective effect of one on the other is still unclear. Therefore, a cross-lagged model was used to examine the possible underlying mechanism between bulimia and two typical emotional problems (i.e., anxiety symptoms and depressive symptoms), respectively, in the present study.

Methods

A total of 471 female college students participated in the three waves of the present study. Self-reported questionnaires were delivered to assess their bulimia, anxiety symptoms, and depressive symptoms.

Results

After controlling for earlier levels of symptoms, our finding indicated that anxiety symptoms triggered more bulimia symptoms from Time 1 to Time 2. In turn, the reciprocal cycles occurred between anxiety symptoms and bulimia symptoms from Time 2 to Time 3. More interestingly, a similar pattern was found between depressive symptoms and bulimia.

Conclusions

The persistence and reciprocal cycle between bulimia and emotional symptoms are worthy of attention. Specifically, female youth with higher levels of emotional symptoms appear to be more profound at high risk for eating-related problems afterward. Further eating-related intervention programs may also need to take the level of female youth's emotional symptoms into consideration.

Associations between Self-Objectification and Lifestyle Habits in a Large Sample of Adolescents

The aim of the present study was to test associations between self-objectification and health-related lifestyle habits in a large sample of adolescents. In 2019–2020, a large sample of adolescents (n = 1402, 40.4% boys) participated in the survey and, as a part of a larger study, filled in questionnaires on self-objectification and lifestyle. Self-objectification was assessed using the Self-Objectification Questionnaire (SOQ). The lifestyle questionnaire had three batteries: eating attitudes and behaviors, dietary habits, and questions on harmful behaviors together with time spending patterns: sedentary lifestyle and physical activity. The ages ranged from 15–19 years with a mean age of 16.97 ± 0.46 years. Self-objectification (SO) was associated with a less healthy lifestyle: more frequent dieting and unhealthy eating habits in girls, skipping breakfast, and a lower number of meals per day. Adolescent boys and girls with higher SO demonstrated more frequent smoking and alcohol consumption until they felt dizzy and more frequent consumption of soft drinks, energy drinks, and fast foods. Girls with higher SO demonstrated lower perceived physical activity and longer duration of internet browsing for non-educational purposes. The results of the present study inform healthy lifestyle promotion programs for adolescents, suggesting that including psychoeducation about self-objectification, body functionality, and positive embodiment might be an effective strategy.

Black women's experiences of gendered racial sexual objectification, body image, and depressive symptoms

Black women navigate unique sexual objectification experiences and concerns about their bodies as a consequence of the race- and gender-based marginalization that they face. However, less is known about the influence of gendered racial sexual objectification experiences on Black women's mental health (i.e., depressive symptoms) or the contributions of key body image indicators (i.e., body surveillance and current-ideal body image discrepancy) that reflect Black women's engagement in monitoring and managing their bodies. We surveyed 1595 Black women to test our hypotheses that experiences of gendered racial sexual objectification (i.e., frequency and stress appraisal) would be positively associated with depressive symptoms and that body surveillance and current-ideal body image discrepancy would moderate this association. Analyses showed that more frequent experiences of gendered racial sexual objectification and higher stress appraisal of these experiences were significantly associated with more depressive symptoms. Furthermore, body surveillance and current-ideal body image discrepancy moderated the relation between gendered racial sexual objectification and depressive symptoms. Findings highlight how Black women's objectification and increased engagement in body monitoring and management practices are associated with their experiences of depressive symptoms, and thus, may negatively influence their mental health.

Fat stigma and body objectification: A text analysis approach using social media content

This study investigates how female and male genders are positioned in fat stigmatising discourses that are being conducted over social media. Weight-based linguistic data corpus, extracted from three popular social media (SM) outlets, Twitter, YouTube and Reddit, was examined for fat stigmatising content. A mixed-method analysis comprising sentiment analysis, word co-occurrences and qualitative analysis, assisted our investigation of the corpus for body objectification themes and gender-based differences. Objectification theory provided the underlying framework to examine the experiential consequences of being fat across both genders. Five objectifying themes, namely, attractiveness, physical appearance, lifestyle choices, health and psychological well-being, emerged from the analysis. A deeper investigation into more facets of the social interaction data revealed overall positive and negative attitudes towards obesity, which informed on existing notions of gendered body objectification and weight/fat stigmatisation. Our findings have provided a holistic outlook on weight/fat stigmatising content that is posted online which can further inform policymakers in planning suitable props to facilitate more inclusive SM spaces. This study showcases how lexical analytics can be conducted by combining a variety of data mining methods to draw out insightful subject-related themes that add to the existing knowledge base; therefore, has both practical and theoretical implications.

Women and #MeToo in Italy: Internalized sexualization is associated with tolerance of sexual harassment and negative views of the #MeToo movement

As a consequence of exposure to sexualized messages, girls and women may internalize the belief that sexual attractiveness to men is an important aspect of their identity. Whereas research on internalized sexualization has mainly focused on its consequences for girls’ well-being and academic outcomes, the present study (N = 222, women, aged 20 to 29) examined whether internalized sexualization is related to sexist attitudes and tolerance of sexual harassment among young women. It also analyzed internalized sexualization’ links to women’s views of notorious sexual abuse allegations in the so-called Weinstein scandal and attitudes towards the #MeToo movement, a campaign aimed at combatting sexual harassment and sexual assault. The study was conducted in Italy, a context characterized by pervasive sexualized messages and diffuse criticism against the #MeToo movement. The findings showed that internalized sexualization was associated with stronger endorsement of sexist attitudes and higher acceptance of sexual harassment myths, which worked as sequential mediators of skepticism towards sexual abuse allegations in the Weinstein scandals. Endorsement of sexist attitudes mediated the relation between internalized sexualization and negative attitudes towards the #MeToo movement. This study extends the knowledge on the correlates of sexualization, suggesting that women’s internalization of the belief that they should be sexually attractive to men might contribute to reinforce ideologies and attitudes that perpetrate women’s mistreatment while diminishing support for social activism on women’s behalf.

Paradoxical Effects of Performance Pressure on Employees' In-Role Behaviors: An Approach/Avoidance Model

Performance pressure acts as a double-edged sword for employees. Based on an approach/avoidance framework, we theorize that performance pressure produces both positive and negative effects on employees’ in-role behaviors via approach motivation (i.e., self-objectification) and avoidance motivation (i.e., workplace anxiety), and work meaningfulness moderates employees’ reactions to performance pressure. We examine our hypotheses using data from a sample of 345 employees in various organizations. The results show that self-objectification provides an approach motive that mediates the positive indirect effect of performance pressure on employees’ in-role behaviors. However, workplace anxiety provides an avoidance motive that mediates the negative indirect effect of performance pressure on employees’ in-role behaviors. Work meaningfulness strengthens both the approach and avoidance tendencies that employees experience under performance pressure. Our findings have significant theoretical and managerial implications.

Validation of the Chinese Version of the Self-Objectification Beliefs and Behaviors Scale

Given the limitations of the existing tools used for measuring self-objectification in China, this study aims to validate the Chinese version of the self-objectification beliefs and behaviors scale (C-SOBBS). In this study, we first translated and culturally adopted SOBBS to the Chinese context. We conducted two wave surveys. In the first-wave survey, we recruited 331 female college students whose age ranged from 18 to 35 (M_age=20.28, SD=2.99) to complete an online survey that included demographic questions, C-SOBBS, and four other scales to assess the validity of C-SOBBS. In the second-wave survey, 76 participants who took part in the first-wave survey completed the C-SOBBS at a two-week interval for the assessment of test-retest stability. A confirmatory factor analysis was performed to validate the factor structure of the C-SOBBS. The relationship between the C-SOBBS, its factors, and four other measures demonstrated that the C-SOBBS has a convergent and discriminant validity. Furthermore, the results of hierarchical multiple regression demonstrated the C-SOBBS’s incremental validity related to the Female Questionnaire of Trait Self-Objectification and Objectified Body Consciousness-Surveillance subscale. Additionally, the internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the C-SOBBS were also verified. The results of this study demonstrate the utility of the C-SOBBS in assessing the self-objectification beliefs and behaviors of young Chinese women within the context of Chinese culture.

Topic modelling online depression forums: beyond narratives of self-objectification and self-blaming

BACKGROUND

Depression raises a double challenge: besides the negative mood and the intrusive thoughts, the relation to the self also becomes difficult. Online forums are analysed as communicative platforms enabling the interactive reconstruction of the self.

AIMS

The discourses of online depression forums are explored. Firstly, narrative patterns are identified according to their thematic focus (e.g. dysfunctional body, challenges of intimacy) and discursive logic (e.g. information exchange, support). Secondly, narratives are analysed in order to describe various ways of grounding a depressed self.

METHODS

∼70.000 depression-related posts from the biggest English-speaking online forums (e.g. www.reddit.com/r/depression, www.healthunlocked.com) were analysed. Quantitative (LDA topic modelling) and qualitative (deep reading) approaches were used simultaneously to determine the optimal number of topics and their interpretation.

RESULTS

13 topics were identified and interpreted according to their content and communicative function. Based on the inter-topic distances four clusters were identified (medicalized, intimacy-oriented, critical and uninhabitable self-narratives).

CONCLUSIONS

The clusters of the 13 topics highlight various ways of narrating depression and the depressed self. Based on a comparison with a systematic review of mental illness recovery narratives, depression forums cover most narrative genres and emotional tones, thus create a unique opportunity for integrating the depressing experiences in the self.

Differentiating contributions of self-objectification and self-sexualization to young women's sexual agency

Findings consistently illustrate the negative association between women's sexual objectification and their sexual functioning. At the same time, some scholars argue that sexualized self-presentation may be a way to embrace one's sexuality and may signify empowerment. To date, no studies have explicitly explored the potential differential contributions of self-objectification and self-sexualization to multiple aspects of women's sexual agency. Towards this end, we surveyed 556 undergraduate women to examine how body surveillance, self-objectification, and self-sexualization differentially predict women's sexual assertiveness, sexual satisfaction, feelings of entitlement to sexual pleasure, condom use self-efficacy, and sexual esteem. Path analysis demonstrated consistent negative links between body surveillance, one behavioral manifestation of self-objectification, and sexual agency outcomes, but revealed both negative and positive links between measures of sexualization and sexual agency. This complex set of associations highlights the value of studying self-objectification and self-sexualization both in tandem and separately, so that researchers can develop a better understanding of the implications of each for women's sexual agency.

The Sexual OBjectification and EMotion database: A free stimulus set and norming data of sexually objectified and non-objectified female targets expressing multiple emotions

Sexual objectification - perceiving or treating a woman as a sexual object - is a widespread phenomenon. Studies on sexual objectification and its consequences have grown dramatically over the last decades covering multiple and diverse areas of research. However, research studying sexual objectification might have limited internal and external validity due to the lack of a controlled and standardized picture database. Moreover, there is a need to extend this research to other fields including the study of emotions. Therefore, in this paper we introduce the SOBEM Database, a free tool consisting of 280 high-resolution pictures depicting objectified and non-objectified female models expressing a neutral face and three different emotions (happiness, anger, and sadness) with different intensity. We report the validation of this dataset by analyzing results of 134 participants judging pictures on the six basic emotions and on a range of social judgments related to sexual objectification. Results showed how the SOBEM can constitute an appropriate instrument to study both sexual objectification per se and its relation with emotions. This database could therefore become an important instrument able to improve the experimental control in future studies on sexual objectification and to create new links with different fields of research.

Beyond Objectification: Understanding the Correlates and Consequences of Sexualization for Black and White Adolescent Girls

Although objectification theory posits negative consequences of self-objectification for adolescent girls, few studies have tested how objectification and sexualization contribute to mental health for youth of color. Accordingly, the current study explores the relations among body surveillance, enjoyment of sexualization, and mental health for a sample of 473 Black and White adolescent girls (Mage = 15.21, SD = 1.43). As expected, body surveillance and enjoyment of sexualization were associated with various forms of diminished well-being. Race moderated two of these links, with Black girls who reported higher levels of body surveillance also reporting higher levels of depression and hostility compared with their White peers. Future work should examine the implications of enjoyment of sexualization for youth of color.

Depression, Anxiety and Eating Disorder-Related Impairment: Moderators in Female Adolescents and Young Adults

Adolescents and young adults, particularly females, are highly vulnerable to the development of anxiety disorders, depression, and eating disorders. Comorbid anxiety disorder or depression in eating disorders are associated with greater symptom severity, poorer prognosis, and burden of illness. Nonetheless, studies on what affects the relationship between anxiety, depression, and eating disorders in female at-risk samples are scarce. Using hierarchical linear modeling, the present study examined potential moderators to explain between-person differences in the association between anxiety, depression, and eating disorder-related impairment within 12- to 25-year-old females (N = 320). High impairment in anxiety/depression was associated with more severe eating disorder symptoms. Older age as well as greater impairment in mood dysregulation, self-esteem, and perfectionism were linked to more severe eating disorder symptomatology. Whereas mood dysregulation, self-esteem, and perfectionism had no statistically significant moderating effects, younger age appeared to augment the association of anxiety/depression and eating disorder symptomatology. Preventive care in particular needs to consider age-related effects as eating disorder symptoms are associated more strongly with symptoms of anxiety and depression in early adolescence.

Body surveillance as a prospective risk factor for depressive symptoms in low-income adolescent girls from the United States

Adolescent girls who engage in frequent self-objectification often report a greater number of depressive symptoms. Although concurrent associations between self-objectification and depression are well-documented, it is less clear if objectification contributes to the course of symptoms. The current study examined: (a) whether body surveillance is prospectively related to depressive symptoms over a 1-month period in a sample of 150 low-income adolescent girls in the United States, and; (b) whether receiving certain types of weight-relevant information (i.e., learning one's weight is much higher than estimated) moderates this association. Heightened body surveillance at baseline predicted greater symptom severity one month later, but the strength of this relationship depended on what type of weight information girls received. Among girls high in body surveillance, those who found out their actual weight was much higher than they estimated subsequently reported more severe depressive symptoms; those who learned their actual weight was consistent or lower than they estimated reported fewer depressive symptoms. For girls low in body surveillance, weight-relevant information was not significantly related to the subsequent severity of depressive symptoms. Findings highlight the potential utility of assessing and addressing heightened body surveillance in depression interventions for adolescent girls.

Linking Mother and Offspring Depressive Symptoms: The mediating role of child appearance contingent self-worth

BACKGROUND

Adolescents exposed to maternal depression are more vulnerable to depressive symptoms. Less is known on the mediating role of children's self-worth construction processes, particularly those related to physical appearance. This study proposes and tests appearance contingent self-worth (ACSW) as a mediator linking depressive symptoms across generations.

METHODS

Our sample included 1,420 participants of the Great Smoky Mountain Study. Offspring depressive symptoms were prospectively assessed with DSM-IV for both the adolescent period (13-16) and adulthood period (19-26). Maternal depression was screened with the Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire when the child was 13-16 years old. We used gender-stratified structural equation model in which offspring ACSW in adolescence and adulthood were specified as mediators linking maternal depression and offspring depressive symptoms in adolescence and adulthood, respectively. Mediation was tested using bias-corrected bootstrapped standard errors.

RESULTS

ACSW is associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms in both adolescent and adult females and males, but the link between maternal depressive symptoms and ACSW is only significant among females. ACSW partially mediates the effects of maternal depressive symptoms on adolescent and adult depressive symptoms in girls.

LIMITATIONS

Measurement of maternal depression was not based on diagnosis. Generalizability is limited due to the regional sample.

CONCLUSION

Our findings provide evidence that daughters of depressed mothers may stake their self-worth on body image, which may partially explain some of their higher susceptibility to depression.

Sexual objectification increases retaliatory aggression

Two experiments were conducted to investigate whether sexual objectification increases retaliatory aggression serially through increased vulnerability and hostile intent attributions. Female participants were first exposed to the sexual objectification manipulation by receiving compliments from an online male partner (Experiment 1) or imagining a workplace objectification experience (Experiment 2). Afterward, their vulnerability and hostile intent attributions were assessed. Finally, they were given an opportunity to behave aggressively toward the source of objectification. The results of both experiments indicated that, compared with their counterparts in the control conditions, participants in the sexual objectification condition reported higher levels of vulnerability, hostile intent attributions, and aggression. Moreover, vulnerability and hostile intent attributions serially mediated the effect of sexual objectification on aggression. These findings highlight the critical influence of vulnerability and hostile intent attributions in understanding how sexual objectification increases aggression.

Online Dating and Problematic Use: A Systematic Review

Despite the constant growth in the use of online dating sites and mobile dating applications, research examining potential problematic use of online dating has remained scarce. Previous research has obviated problematic use of online dating in favour of users’ personality correlates and scams through online dating services. A systematic review was carried out using PsycINFO and Web of Science databases to gather previous findings that address potential problematic use of online dating by (i) identifying use and motivations, (ii) assessing users’ personality correlates, (iii) outlining negative correlates of use, (iv) examining sexual and impulsive behaviour, (v) exploring substance use and behavioural addictions in relation to online dating, and (vi) examining problematic use of online dating, resulting in 43 studies. Findings suggest that personality correlates such as neuroticism, sociability, sensation-seeking, and sexual permissiveness are related to greater use of online dating services. Sex-search and self-esteem enhancement are predictors of problematic use of online dating. Previous research coincides with online dating risks (e.g. fear of deception) and objectification tendency due to online dating services (sites and apps) design. Observations regarding methodological weaknesses and future research implications are included.

Examining the associations between the Big Five personality traits and body self-conscious emotions

This study examined the relationships between the Big Five personality traits and body-related self-conscious emotions in a sex-balanced sample of Spanish undergraduates (N = 748). After controlling for sex, age, and weight discrepancy, neuroticism (positive for shame and guilt), extraversion (negative for shame and positive for pride), conscientiousness (negative for shame and positive for pride), and openness (negative for shame and guilt) emerged as significant cross-sectional predictors of body-related self-conscious emotions. No moderation effect by sex was observed. The explained variance ranged from 10% (hubristic pride) to 26% (shame). Young adults possessing greater than ideally assumed body weight, high levels of neuroticism, and low levels of extraversion, conscientiousness, and openness may be especially vulnerable to body-image disturbances.

Self- and Other-Dehumanization Processes in Health-Related Contexts: A Critical Review of the Literature

Dehumanization is an everyday, pervasive phenomenon in health contexts. Given its detrimental consequences to health care, much research has been dedicated to understanding and promoting the humanization of health services. However, health care service research has neglected the sociopsychological processes involved in the dehumanization of self and others, in formal but also informal health-related contexts. Drawing upon sociopsychological models of dehumanization, this article will bridge this gap by presenting a critical review of studies on everyday meaning-making and person perception processes of dehumanization in health-related contexts. A database search was conducted in PsycINFO, Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed, using a combination of keywords on dehumanization and health/illness/body; 3,229 references were screened; 95 full texts were assessed for eligibility; 59 studies were included. Most studies focused on informal contexts, reflecting a decontextualized and one-sided view of dehumanization (i.e., not integrating actors’ and victims’ perspectives). Despite the dominant focus on self-dehumanization, emerging perspectives uncover the role of processes that deny human uniqueness to others, and their individual determinants and consequences for mental health. A few studies bring to light the functions of a variety of dehumanizing body metaphors on self- and other-dehumanization. These trends in the literature leave several gaps, which are here critically analyzed to inform future research.

Peer sexual harassment predicts African American girls’ psychological distress and sexual experimentation

Peer sexual harassment (PSH) occurs frequently and across contexts during adolescence. The current study examined the relations among PSH in school, psychological distress, sexual experimentation, and sexual risk-taking in a sample of African American middle and high school girls. Results indicate that negative body appraisals mediated the relationship between PSH and psychological distress, suggesting that PSH is one way to operationalize interpersonal sexualization and sexual objectification. PSH was directly associated with sexual experimentation, but the association between PSH and sexual experimentation was not mediated by negative body appraisals. Neither PSH nor negative body appraisals were related to sexual risk-taking. This suggests that frequent exposure to high levels of sexualization and sexual objectification, in the form of PSH, is associated with more psychological distress and sexual experimentation, but not with sexual risk-taking, regardless of how girls feel about their bodies.

Examining the relationship between fitness-related self-conscious emotions, disordered eating symptoms, and morbid exercise behavior: An exploratory study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Theoretical models of morbid exercise behavior (MEB) suggest that it may emerge as a result of complex interactions between a range of psychosocial factors. However, in spite of fitness-related self-conscious emotions involving such factors, their relationship with the risk of MEB has never been investigated. Consequently, this study had two objectives. First, to explore the relationship that fitness-related self-conscious emotions have with (a) symptoms reflecting MEB as assessed by the Exercise Addiction Inventory (EAI) and the Exercise Dependence Scale-Revised (EDS-R) and (b) exercise frequency. Second, to examine whether these relationships might vary according to disordered eating symptoms.

METHODS

A sample of 646 undergraduate students (59% males; M_age = 21.25; SD_age = 2.94) completed a self-reported questionnaire.

RESULTS

After controlling for age, sex, and disordered eating symptoms, it was found that shame, hubristic pride, and authentic pride positively explained MEB; for their part, guilt (negatively) and authentic pride (positively) explained exercise frequency. The positive relationships between pride and MEB were weaker (in the case of the hubristic facet) or stronger (in the case of the authentic facet) under higher levels of disordered eating symptoms. The independent variables explained 29% (EAI), 28% (EDS-R), and 27% (exercise frequency) of the variance in dependent variables.

DISCUSSION

Tempering fitness-related emotions of shame, guilt, hubristic pride, and authentic pride may contribute to healthier exercise behavior.

Sexualization and youth: Concepts, theories, and models

Youth in Western countries are exposed to many messages that sexualize women. We selectively review the literature on sexualization with the goal of clarifying and integrating theories, constructs, and models of the pathways and mechanisms via which exposure to such messages may affect youth. In the first section of the article, we define sexualization and discuss historical change concerning the construct. In the second section, we highlight the role that core values concerning sexuality and gender play in designing and interpreting research on sexualization. In the third section, we provide a conceptual analysis of the various psychological constructs related to sexualization, noting their roots in particular theories. In the fourth section, we discuss developmental issues and, in fifth and sixth sections, we present conceptual models of the antecedents and consequences of believing that sexual attractiveness to men is an important aspect of the female gender role among girls and boys, respectively.

Focusing on one's own appearance leads to body shame in women but not men: The mediating role of body surveillance and appearance-contingent self-worth

Previous research has shown that some appearance-focused situations lead to increased self-objectification, especially among women. The present research explored, with an experimental design, whether the simple fact of thinking about one's own physical appearance increases body shame through body surveillance and appearance-contingent self-worth in men and women. Our main prediction was that focusing on one's own appearance would increase both women's body surveillance and appearance-contingent self-worth, and that both variables in turn would increase women's body shame. Among men, while we expected body surveillance and appearance-contingent self-worth to be related to body shame, we believed that thinking about their physical appearance would be less likely to increase their body surveillance and appearance-contingent self-worth. Spanish young men (n = 123) and women (n = 140) were randomly assigned to an appearance group, in which they wrote about their appearance, or a personality group, in which they wrote about their personality. The results confirmed our prediction for women. Among men, the indirect effects were not significant, and focusing on one's own appearance did not increase body surveillance or appearance-contingent self-worth. Since body shame has been associated with pervasive negative consequences, knowledge about its antecedents has practical and theoretical significance.

Skin tone surveillance, depression, and life satisfaction in Indian women: Colour-blind racial ideology as a moderator

Consistent with objectification theory, many studies have shown that self-objectification (and body surveillance) is associated with depression and dissatisfaction with life. Critically, however, much of this research has been conducted with White women attending university in North America. To extend this literature, we investigated whether greater skin tone surveillance - a group-specific manifestation of self-objectification among women of colour - is linked to higher depression and lower life satisfaction among Indian women. Given that some system justifying ideologies provide a protective well-being effect for lower status individuals, we considered whether colour-blind racial ideology (i.e., the minimization/denial of White privilege) weakened the relations between skin tone surveillance and poorer well-being outcomes. Data were collected via Amazon Mechanical Turk; participants included Indian women (N = 177) between the ages of 19-30 living in India. Participants completed measures of skin tone surveillance, colour-blind racial ideology, depression, and life satisfaction. Results revealed that skin tone surveillance was associated with higher depression (and more strongly among women higher in colour-blind racial ideology). Moreover, skin tone surveillance was associated with lower life satisfaction only among women lower in colour-blind racial ideology. Implications are discussed.

Materialism, Self-Objectification, and Capitalization of Sexual Attractiveness Increase Young Chinese Women's Willingness to Consider Cosmetic Surgery

Research reveals significant positive associations between materialism and cosmetic surgery consideration, yet little is known about why this relationship exists. To address this question, the present study examined potential mediators of the links between materialism and cosmetic surgery consideration. A sample of 336 Chinese undergraduate women completed measures of materialism, self-objectification, capitalization of sexual attractiveness, and cosmetic surgery consideration. Correlational analysis showed that materialism, self-objectification, and capitalization of sexual attractiveness were significantly positively correlated with cosmetic surgery consideration. The results of path analyses revealed that higher materialism predicted more willingness to consider cosmetic surgery, both directly and indirectly via higher self-objectification and capitalization of sexual attractiveness.