Cited by 168Eating Disorders and BehaviorsNutrition, Health and Food BehaviorBody Image and Dysmorphia Studies

Self‐objectification and disordered eating: A meta‐analysis

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Schaefer, Lauren M., Thompson, J. Kevin·2018·International Journal of Eating Disorders

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Objectification theory posits that self-objectification increases risk for disordered eating. METHOD: The current study sought to examine the relationship between self-objectification and disordered eating using meta-analytic techniques. RESULTS: Data from 53 cross-sectional studies (73 effect sizes) revealed a significant moderate positive overall effect (r = .39), which was moderated by gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and measurement of self-objectification. Specifically, larger effect sizes were associated with female samples and the Objectified Body Consciousness Scale. Effect sizes were smaller among heterosexual men and African American samples. Age, body mass index, country of origin, measurement of disordered eating, sample type and publication type were not significant moderators. DISCUSSION: Overall, results from the first meta-analysis to examine the relationship between self-objectification and disordered eating provide support for one of the major tenets of objectification theory and suggest that self-objectification may be a meaningful target in eating disorder interventions, though further work is needed to establish temporal and causal relationships. Findings highlight current gaps in the literature (e.g., limited representation of males, and ethnic and sexual minorities) with implications for guiding future research.

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Crossref · 10.1002/eat.22854

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  • The relationship between social media and body image/eating disorder outcomes is shaped by the mediating pathways of thin / fit ideal internalisation, appearance comparisons, and self-objectification.

    “This relationship is shaped by the mediating pathways of thin / fit ideal internalisation, appearance comparisons, and self-objectification, which have been supported by additional meta-analyses [3, 84, 85].”

    From The social media diet: A scoping review to investigate the association between social media, body image and eating disorders amongst young people (2023) · cites this paper as [3]

    The Discussion reports a moderate positive association between self-objectification and disordered eating (r = .39). The Conclusions say the cross-sectional evidence cannot establish self-objectification as a causal risk factor. The paper therefore supports the relevance of self-objectification, but not the claim that it mediates a relationship between social media and body-image or eating-disorder outcomes. Page numbers were not available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.88)

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Research works printed but not linked: 18

  1. Ata R Schaefer LM Thompson JK 2014 Sociocultural theories of eating disorders Levine M Smolak L The Wiley-Blackwell Handbook of Eating Disorders West Sussex, UK John Wiley and Sons, Ltd
  2. Brand PA Rothblum ED Solomon LJ 1992 A comparison of lesbians, gay men, and heterosexuals on weight and restrained eating International Journal of Eating Disorders 11 3 253 259 10.1002/1098-108X(199204 · DOI
  3. Cottingham ME 2008 The role of spirituality in self-objectification and disordered eating in college women Doctoral dissertation Retrieved from ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database. (3299121)
  4. Funk RS 2008 Sexual harassment and disordered eating symptomatology in females: Objectification, silencing, and symbolic expression of self Doctoral dissertation Retrieved from ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database. (3277035)
  5. Kaplan A 2012 Risk and protective factors: An integration of cognitive behavioral and feminist perspectives in explaining bulimic symptoms in female university students Doctoral dissertation Retrieved from ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database. (3463183)
  6. Killen JD Taylor CB Hayward C Wilson D Haydel K Hammer L Kraemer H 1994 Pursuit of thinness and onset of eating disorder symptoms in a community sample of adolescent girls: A three-year prospective analysis International Journal of Eating Disorders 16 3 227 238 7833956
  7. Kittler JE 2003 Print media exposure as a predictor of disordered eating: The role of self-objectification, body shame, and appearance responsibility Doctoral dissertation Retrieved from ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database. (3079474)
  8. Loughnan S Fernandez-Campos S Vaes J Anjum G Aziz M Harada C 2015 Exploring the role of cultural in sexual objectification: A seven nations study International Review of Social Psychology 28 1 125 152
  9. Lyders GC 1999 10 Body image and attitudes toward eating: The influence of objectified body consciousness and variations by gender and sexual orientation Doctoral dissertation Retrieved from ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database. (9928691)
  10. McKnight Risk Factor Study 2000 3 Ethnic group differences in disordered eating attitudes and behaviors and related risk factors Paper presented at the Ninth International Conference on Eating Disorders New York
  11. Moret LB 1999 10 Eating disordered symptomatology, body image concerns, and social support of female survivors of sexual abuse Doctoral dissertation Retrieved from ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database. (9925117)
  12. Noffsinger-Frazier NA 2004 Objectification theory and disordered eating: The impact of feminist identification, internalization of sociocultural standards of appearance, and sexual orientation Doctoral dissertation Retrieved from ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database. (3137803)
  13. Orwin RG 1983 A fail-safe N for effect size Journal of Educational Statistics 8 2 157 159
  14. Powell AD Kahn AS 1995 Racial differences in women’s desires to be thin International Journal of Eating Disorders 17 2 191 195 7757101
  15. Pyle RL Neuman PA Halvorson PA Mitchell JE 1991 An ongoing cross- sectional study of the prevalence of eating disorders in freshman college students International Journal of Eating Disorders 10 667 677 10.1002/1098-108X(199111)10:6b667:AID-EAT2260100605N3.0.CO;2-K · DOI
  16. Serpa JG 2005 A new measure of body dissatisfaction and its relation to self-objectification, eating disorders, and depression in gay and heterosexual men Doctoral dissertation Retrieved from ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database. (3161378)
  17. Striegel-Moore RH Tucker N Hsu J 1990 Body image dissatisfaction and disordered eating in lesbian college students International Journal of Eating Disorders 9 5 493 500 doi:0.1002/1098-108X(199009)9:5<493::AID-EAT2260090504>3.0.CO;2-C
  18. Wichstrom L 2000 Psychological and behavioral factors unpredictive of disordered eating: A prospective study of the general adolescent population in Norway International Journal of Eating Disorders 28 1 33 42 10800012

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Authors
Schaefer, L. M., & Thompson, J. K.
Affiliations
  • Neuropsychiatric Research Institute (US)
  • University of South Florida (US)
Corresponding author
Schaefer, Lauren M.
Venue
International Journal of Eating Disorders
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2018-03-08
Volume
51
Issue
6
Pages
483-502
ISSN
  • 0276-3478 (ISSN-L)
  • 1098-108X
OpenAlex
W2789605517
Cited by
168
References
135
Citations by year
2026: 22 · 2025: 35 · 2024: 34 · 2023: 25 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 11
FWCI
1.56
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • International Journal of Eating Disorders (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • Digital Commons - University of South Florida (University of South Florida) (submittedVersion)
Funders
National Institute of Mental Health (T32 MH082761)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Eating Disorders and Behaviors
  • Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Nutrition, Health and Food Behavior
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Body Image and Dysmorphia Studies
Keywords
self-objectification, disordered eating, objectification theory, eating disorders, gender differences, sexual orientation, ethnicity, African American men, eating disorder intervention
MeSH terms
Feeding and Eating Disorders, Body Image, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Humans, Male

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