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. 2020 Sep 29;60(1):328-346.
doi: 10.5334/pb.564.

Body Dissatisfaction as a Mediator between Identity Formation and Eating Disorder Symptomatology in Adolescents and Emerging Adults

Nina Palmeroni  1 , Koen Luyckx  1   2 , Margaux Verschueren  1 , Laurence Claes  1   3
Affiliations

Body Dissatisfaction as a Mediator between Identity Formation and Eating Disorder Symptomatology in Adolescents and Emerging Adults

Nina Palmeroni et al. Psychol Belg. .

Abstract

Objective: Eating disorder symptomatology generally develops during adolescence and emerging adulthood. Previous research has focused on the role of identity formation or body image in the development of eating disorder symptomatology, but integrative work is lacking. For this reason, the present cross-sectional study examined the mediating role of body dissatisfaction in the relation between identity formation and eating disorder symptomatology.

Method: The sample comprised 659 participants between 15 and 30 years old (68.9% females; Mage = 19.44; SDage = 3.99). All participants completed self-report measures on identity (Self-concept and Identity Measure), body dissatisfaction (the Body Image Feelings and Attitudes subscale of the Body Investment Scale and the Body Dissatisfaction subscale of the Eating Disorder Inventory-3), and eating disorder symptomatology (Eating Disorder Inventory-3). Latent variable modeling from a structural equation modeling approach was used.

Results: First, identity formation significantly predicted eating disorder symptomatology. Additionally, indirect effects were found linking identity formation to eating disorder symptomatology through the mechanism of body dissatisfaction. No significant differences between males and females or between adolescents and emerging adults on direct or indirect effects were found.

Conclusion: The present study indicated that body dissatisfaction mediated the relationship between identity formation and eating disorder symptomatology during mid-to-late adolescence and emerging adulthood. Provided that the present findings can be replicated in a future longitudinal study, they demonstrate that both identity formation and body dissatisfaction should be taken into account in prevention and intervention programs targeting eating disorder symptomatology.

Keywords: body dissatisfaction; eating disorder symptomatology; emerging adulthood; identity formation; mid-to-late adolescence.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no competing interests to declare.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Direct effects model including all significant directional paths among the study variables. ** p < .01. *** p < .001.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Partial mediation model including all significant directional paths among the study variables. * p < .05. *** p < .001.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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