Body Size and Social Self-Image Among Adolescent African American Girls
Open accessAbstract
Social psychologists have amassed a large body of work demonstrating that overweight African American adolescent girls have generally positive self-images, particularly when compared with overweight females from other racial and ethnic groups. Some scholars have proposed that elements of African American social experience may contribute to the maintenance of these positive self-views. The article evaluates these arguments using data drawn from a panel study of socioeconomically diverse African American adolescent girls living in Iowa and Georgia. The article analyzes the relationship between body size and social self-image over three waves of data, starting when the girls were 10 years of age and concluding when they were approximately 14. The findings show that heavier respondents hold less positive social self-images; however, the findings also show that being raised in a family that practices racial socialization moderates this relationship.
AI snapshot
Written from the paper’s full text.
TL;DR
Among socioeconomically diverse African American adolescent girls, large body size was unrelated to social self-image at ages 12–13 but predicted lower social self-image by ages 14–15. Family racial socialization moderated this association, with heavier girls in frequently racial-socializing homes showing little self-image deficit.
Key findings
- Large body size had no significant association with social self-image at wave 2 (ages ~12–13), but a small significant negative association at wave 3 (ages ~14–15); large body size still predicted wave 3 social self-image after controlling for wave 2 social self-image.
- Family racial socialization moderated the body size–social self-image relationship: the interaction was positive and significant, and the coefficient comparison was significant (z = −2.41, p < .05, two-tailed). In homes with frequent racial socialization, there was little difference between larger and smaller girls; in homes with less frequent racial socialization, heavier girls had less positive social self-image.
- Neighborhood percentage of African American residents also showed a positive significant interaction with large body size, but the test comparing coefficients above and below the mean was not significant (z = −1.25, NS); both interactions remained significant when estimated together.
- The final sample included 256 girls; 35 were coded as “large body size,” and approximately 12% of the FACHS sample was categorized as visibly obese at wave 2.
Methods
- Data came from waves 1–3 of the Family and Community Health Study (FACHS), a multi-site panel of African American families in Georgia and Iowa; this analysis used only female respondents, with a final N of 256 after missing data. Wave 1 was at ages 10–11, wave 2 at 12–13, and wave 3 at 14–15.
- Body size was rated from videotapes on a nine-point scale; “large body size” required a wave 1 rating of 6 or higher and a wave 2 rating of 7 or higher. Social self-image was a five-item index (alpha ~.65), racial socialization was a five-item family-activities scale (alpha .84), and neighborhood comparison context was measured as percentage African American in the census block group. Controls included parenting quality, family social class, opposite-sex relations, social skill, and academic skill.
- Ordinary least squares regression was used, with Stata’s cluster option to produce robust standard errors correcting for block-group sampling; directional hypotheses were tested with one-tailed significance tests.
Limitations
- The paper states that it could not test whether racial socialization and neighborhood racial composition operate through a more positive ethnic identity; it also lacked measures of respondents’ subjective perceptions of their own weight, used videotape rather than face-to-face body size assessment, and used census block groups as a rough proxy for actual neighborhoods and comparison others.
- The paper also notes that it examined only body size, not other appearance domains such as skin tone, facial features, or hair texture.
- Evident from the text: the design is observational and panel-based, so causal direction is not established; the sample is restricted to African American girls in Iowa and Georgia and shrank from about 400 at wave 1 to 256 in the final analysis, limiting generalizability.
Model-written summary. Check it against the paper before relying on it.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
8 of 35 cited sources checked · 3 supported · 0 flagged · accuracy not yet measured
- Premisecitation
African American women are, on average, heavier than their peers from any other major racial group.
“African American women are, on average, heavier than their peers from any other major racial group”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim1 of 1 sources checked- cites Neumark-Sztainer et al., 2002 source
The Results report that African American adolescent girls had the highest prevalence of overweight status among the racial/ethnic groups studied; Table 5 gives their prevalence as 22.1% at or above the 95th BMI percentile. The paper studies girls, not adult women, and reports overweight prevalence rather than average weight, so it does not establish the claim as stated. (LLM, conf=0.87)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
- Premisecitation
African American women show greater variation in body size than their peers from other major racial groups.
“and also show greater variation in body size”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim1 of 1 sources checked- cites Neumark-Sztainer et al., 2002 source
The Results (page unavailable) report that African American adolescent girls had the highest prevalence of overweight status among the racial/ethnic groups studied. Neither those results nor Table 5 compare variation in body size within groups, and the study concerns adolescents rather than women. Searches for body-size variation and variability found no passage addressing that comparison. (LLM, conf=0.76)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
- Premisecitation
African American girls are more likely to be overweight than females of other racial groups.
“while African American girls are more likely to be overweight than females of other racial groups”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim1 of 2 sources checked- cites Berkowitz & Stunkard, 2002
- cites Neumark-Sztainer et al., 2002 source
- Premisecitation
African American girls feel good about their bodies.
“they also feel good about their bodies”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim1 of 2 sources checked- cites Berkowitz & Stunkard, 2002
- cites Neumark-Sztainer et al., 2002 source
The Results section reports African American girls’ overweight status and dietary intake, but not how they feel about their bodies. The Discussion mentions racial and ethnic differences in social norms regarding body shape; it does not say that African American girls feel good about their bodies. Searches for body satisfaction and body image found no supporting passage in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.77)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
- Premisecitation
Among African American girls, the association between body size and outcomes such as self-esteem, self-evaluation, and psychological health is relatively weak.
“exhibit a relatively weak association between body size and outcomes such as self-esteem, self-evaluation, and psychological health”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim1 of 2 sources checked- cites Berkowitz & Stunkard, 2002
- cites Neumark-Sztainer et al., 2002 source
The Results report overweight prevalence and eating patterns among African American girls, and the Discussion mentions racial differences in norms about body shape. Neither section addresses whether body size has a weak association with self-esteem, self-evaluation, or psychological health; searches for those outcomes found no relevant passage in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.76)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
- Study design and conductcitation
Ratings of body size made from videotapes have been shown to be a valid representation of weight status.
“Finally, ratings of body size made from videotapes have been shown to be a valid representation of weight status”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim1 of 1 sources checked- cites Cardinal, Kaciroti, & Lumeng, 2006 source
- Findingown data
Being raised in a family that practices racial socialization moderates the relationship between body size and social self-image.
“but also find that being raised in a family that practices racial socialization moderates this relationship.”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim - Findingown data
Large body size significantly predicts wave 3 social self-image after controlling for social self-image assessed at wave 2.
“Further, model 3 shows that large body size significantly predicts wave 3 assessments after we control for social self-image assessed at wave 2.”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim - Findingown data
Large body size is related to social self-image at wave 3, when respondents were about 15 years old.
“However, large body size is related to this measure at wave 3, when respondents were about 15 years old.”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim - Findingown data
The test for equality of the large body size coefficients between respondents above and below the mean percentage of African Americans resident in the neighborhood did not achieve significance (z= −1.25, NS).
“As with racial socialization, we tested for the equality of the large body size coefficients between respondents who were above and below the mean percentage of African Americans resident in the neighborhood. This coefficient did not achieve significance (z= −1.25, NS).”
Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim - Findingown data
The coefficient for the interaction between large body size and percent of African Americans in respondents' residential block group is positive and significant (Model 4).
“The result for the effect of this moderator alone is shown in Model 4. As with racial socialization, the coefficient is positive and significant.”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim - Findingown data
Once the control for social self-image at wave 2 is included, family class status becomes significant.
“Once the control for social self-image at wave 2 is included, family class status also becomes significant.”
Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim - Findingown data
At wave 3 (ages averaged 14 to 15), there is a small but significant negative association between large body size and social self-image.
“However, model 2 indicates that there is a small but significant negative association between large body size and social self-image at wave 3 when the respondents averaged 14 to 15 years of age.”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim - Findingown data
The association between large body size and social self-image remained significant after the inclusion of added controls (opposite-sex relating, parental social skills, academic abilities).
“Also, the association between large body size and social self-image remained significant after the inclusion of these added controls.”
Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim - Findingown data
Being of large body size is not related to social self-image at wave 2 when the respondents were approximately 12 to 13 years of age.
“Bivariate correlations show that being of large body size is not related to social self-image at wave 2 when the respondents were approximately 12 to 13 years of age.”
Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim - Findingown data
Parental evaluations of respondent social skills are associated with targets' social self-image.
“There is also an association between parental evaluations of respondent social skills and targets' social self-image.”
Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim - Findingown data
Adolescents who see themselves as able to relate successfully to members of the opposite sex have more positive social self-images.
“Model 1 shows the results of adding our additional control measures to the regression equation estimations shown in Table 3 (Model 2) and indicates that adolescents who see themselves as able to relate successfully to members of the opposite sex also have more positive social self-images.”
Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim - Findingown data
At wave 2 (ages roughly 12 to 13), being of large body size has no significant association with respondents' evaluations of their social attributes, controlling for quality of parenting and class status.
“Model 1 shows that being of large body size has no significant association with respondents' evaluations of their social attributes at wave 2 when they are roughly 12 to 13 years of age.”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim - Findingown data
Only racial socialization is related to the independent variable (body size).
“but only racial socialization is related to our independent variable.”
Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim - Findingown data
Family social class is significantly and positively associated with body size.
“Surprisingly, family social class is significantly and positively associated with body size”
Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim - Findingown data
Family social class shows only a marginal association with the outcome measure.
“however, it shows only a marginal association with the outcome measure.”
Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim - Findingown data
Active racial socialization within the home lessens the influence of a large body size on social self-image (z= −2.41, p<.05 - two tailed).
“The results (z= −2.41, p<.05 – two tailed) suggest that active racial socialization within the home does lessen the influence of a large body size on social self-image.”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim - Findingown data
Parents' evaluations of targets' academic abilities showed no association with social self-image.
“Parents' evaluations of targets' academic abilities, however, showed no association.”
Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim - Premisecitation
Social comparisons are one of the primary mechanisms through which adolescent girls assess their bodies.
“research examining sources of body dissatisfaction indicate that social comparisons are one of the primary mechanisms through which adolescent girls assess their bodies”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 2 sources checked - Premisecitation
African Americans hold more moderate attitudes about weight than European Americans.
“while they hold more moderate attitudes about weight than those found among European Americans”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 3 sources checked - Interpretationreasoning
When African-American adolescents compare their body sizes with women from within their own racial group, they are more likely to perceive a favorable (i.e., downward) social comparison than they would if comparing themselves to women who are not African American.
“This would suggest that when African-American adolescents compare their body sizes with women from within their own racial group, they are more likely to perceive a favorable (i.e., downward) social comparison than they would if comparing themselves to women who are not African American.”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim - Premisecitation
African Americans still view obesity as a negative characteristic.
“they still view obesity as a negative characteristic”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 3 sources checked - Premisecitation
Racial socialization has been linked to a number of positive psycho-social outcomes including higher self-esteem and lower rates of psychological stress.
“Racial socialization has been linked to a number of positive psycho-social outcomes including higher self-esteem and lower rates of psychological stress”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 2 sources checked - Interpretationreasoning
The availability of comparison others who are also African American may improve access to self-enhancing social feedback.
“Thus, the availability of comparison others who are also African American may improve access to self-enhancing social feedback.”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim - Interpretationown data
The results lend support to the work of those who have located one source of the paradox (the seemingly paradoxical relationship between weight and positive self-image among African American females) in experiences that stem from racial group membership.
“The results lend support to the work of those who have located one source of this paradox in experiences that stem from racial group membership.”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim- Rests on an assumption: The relationship between body size and self-image varies by racial and ethnic group membership.
- Study design and conductcitation
The cluster option in Stata produces robust standard errors that correct for correlations due to block group sampling.
“This option produces robust standard errors, which correct for correlations due to block group sampling.”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked- cites StataCorp, 2003
Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.
- Interpretationown data
Adolescent girls whose body sizes placed them in the category of 'visibly obese' from age 10 onward appeared relatively unaffected by their weight status until they reached mid-adolescence, when they became significantly less likely to identify with positive labels such as 'attractive,' 'cool,' and 'popular.'
“we examined respondents' evaluations of the degree to which they believed they possessed a set of positive social attributes and found that adolescent girls whose body sizes had placed them in the category of “visibly obese” from age 10 onward appeared to be relatively unaffected by their weight status until they reached mid-adolescence when they became significantly less likely to identify with”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim - Study design and conductown data
Respondents included in the sample did not differ significantly from those excluded on any of the dependent or independent variables.
“We used t-tests to examine whether respondents included in the sample differed from those excluded on any of the dependent or independent variables and found no significant differences.”
Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim - Study design and conductreasoning
Due to the block group sampling strategy, the assumption of independent observations is not met.
“Due to the block group sampling strategy employed for this project, however, we were not able to assume compliance with the assumption of independent observations.”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim - Study design and conductreasoning
Replacing missing wave 2 body size scores with wave 1 values would tend to understate, rather than overstate, the number of girls who were of large body size, resulting in a more conservative test of hypotheses.
“We felt comfortable making this replacement because girls tend to get heavier as they enter adolescence and so replacing missing wave 2 scores with those from wave 1 would tend to understate, rather than overstate, the number of girls who were of large body size, resulting in a more conservative test of our hypotheses.”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim- Rests on an assumption: Girls tend to get heavier as they enter adolescence.
- Study design and conductcitation
Visual assessment of obesity was a more valid measure than one drawn from BMI-for-age growth charts for the theoretical interest in implications of body weight for social comparisons and social self-images.
“Thus, a visual assessment of obesity was more a more valid measure than one drawn from BMI-for-age growth charts”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked- cites National Center for Health Statistics, 2000
Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.
- Interpretationown data
The pattern supports the hypothesis that being of large body size becomes relevant for self-image as girls move into their teenage years.
“This pattern supports our hypothesis that being of large body size becomes relevant for self-image as girls move into their teenage years.”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim - Interpretationown data
Girls who have had a large body size since at least age 10 experience a decline in social self-image as they move into adolescence.
“This suggests that girls who have had a large body size since at least age 10 experience a decline in social self-image as they move into adolescence.”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim - Premisecitation
Feelings about skin tone, facial features, and hair texture may be more susceptible to influence from the majority group standard.
“feelings about skin tone, facial features, and hair texture may be more susceptible to influence from the majority group standard (Roberts et al., 2006).”
Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked- cites Roberts et al., 2006 source
- Interpretationown data
These results suggest that many African American women live in a social context that may reduce the influence of mainstream appearance standards on their self-evaluations.
“these results suggest that many African American women live in a social context that may reduce the influence of mainstream appearance standards on their self-evaluations.”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim- Rests on an assumption: Self-perceptions are highly influential in guiding decisions to improve health behavior.
- Classified as probably not a substantial claim. 14
- The quote only partly states this claim. 1
- May combine two claims. 14
Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).
PremisecitationFamilies remain an important agent of socialization during the teen years.
“Even during the teen years, families remain an important agent of socialization (Aquilino & Supple, 2001)”
Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim1 of 1 sources checked- cites Aquilino & Supple, 2001 source
Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).
InterpretationcitationThe findings join a growing literature that emphasizes ways that African-American families are a source of resilience for their children, particularly since racial group membership can still evoke discrimination.
“The findings also join a growing literature that emphasizes ways that African-American families are a source of resilience for their children, particularly since racial group membership can still evoke discrimination (Natsuaki et al., 2007; Simons et al., 2001; Simons et al., 2002).”
Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim1 of 3 sources checked- cites Natsuaki et al., 2007 source
The Results and Discussion report that parents’ use of inductive reasoning was protective against depressive symptoms for African American children living in highly disordered neighborhoods, supporting the claim about family resilience. The passages do not address discrimination arising from racial group membership, so that part of the sentence is not supported by this source. (LLM, conf=0.86)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measured - cites Simons et al., 2001 source
- cites Simons et al., 2002 source
The quote only partly states this claim.
Findingown dataHeavier respondents hold less positive social self-images.
“We find that heavier respondents hold less positive social self-images”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claimMay combine two claims.
Findingown dataWhen the two interactions (large body size × racial socialization and large body size × percent African American) are estimated together, both remain significant and increase slightly in magnitude.
“Model 5 shows the results when the two interactions are estimated together; both remain significant and increase slightly in magnitude.”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claimMay combine two claims.
Findingown dataRacial socialization and percentage of African-Americans in the neighborhood are both positively related to the wave 3 outcome.
“Racial socialization and percentage of African-Americans in the neighborhood are both positively related to our wave 3 outcome”
Quote in the paperNot a substantial claimMay combine two claims.
Findingown dataRacial socialization is positively related to social self-image, while large body size continues to show a negative association.
“In Model 2, only racial socialization was associated with respondents' social self-image; the results show that racial socialization is positively related to social self-image but large body size continues to show a negative association.”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claimMay combine two claims.
Findingown dataQuality of parenting, at both waves, is correlated with racial socialization as well as with social self-image.
“Quality of parenting, at both waves, is correlated with racial socialization as well as with social self-image.”
Quote in the paperNot a substantial claimMay combine two claims.
Findingown dataThe interaction between large body size and family racial socialization is positive and statistically significant, consistent with the moderation hypothesis.
“Model 3 shows the result of adding the multiplicative interaction term formed by centering and multiplying large body size by family racial socialization. This interaction term is positive and statistically significant, consistent with our moderation hypothesis.”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claimProbably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.
PremisecitationAmong African American children, growing in a consonant social context reduced exposure to bigotry and racial discrimination which in turn promoted positive self-esteem even among children living in highly disadvantaged circumstances.
“Among African American children, they argued, growing in such a context reduced exposure to bigotry and racial discrimination which in turn promoted positive self-esteem even among children living in highly disadvantaged circumstances.”
Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked- cites Rosenberg & Simmons, 1971
Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.
May combine two claims.
PremisecitationDownward comparisons, in which a girl judges herself smaller than those around her, typically produce greater body esteem and result in more positive self-evaluations.
“Downward comparisons, in which a girl judges herself smaller than those around her, typically produce greater body esteem and result in more positive self-evaluations”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked- cites Morrison, Kalin, & Morrison, 2004
Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.
PremisecitationElements of African American social and cultural life may protect girls' self-images by reducing exposure to negative feedback and promoting positive social comparisons.
“arguing that elements of African American social and cultural life may protect girls' self-images by reducing exposure to negative feedback and promoting positive social comparisons (Root, 1990).”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked- cites Root, 1990 source
Classified as probably not a substantial claim.
PremisecitationRosenberg and Simmons cited the effect of a consonant social context: an environment in which social feedback and proximal social comparisons emphasize positive aspects of one's group membership while limiting exposure to negative aspects.
“Rosenberg and Simmons cited the effect of what they termed a “consonant social context:” an environment in which social feedback and proximal social comparisons emphasize positive aspects of one's group membership while limiting exposure to negative aspects (1971).”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked- cites Rosenberg & Simmons, 1971
Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.
Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based).
PremisecitationOverweight African American adolescent girls have generally positive self-images, particularly compared with overweight females from other racial and ethnic groups.
“Social psychologists have amassed a large body of work demonstrating that overweight African American adolescent girls have generally positive self-images, particularly when compared with overweight females from other racial and ethnic groups.”
Quote in the paperNot a substantial claimClassified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.
Study design and conductreasoningRequiring that respondents be evaluated as large body size at both waves 1 and 2 ensured that this was a long-term physical state and lessened the likelihood that a respondent's elevated body size was the result of puberty alone.
“Requiring that respondents be evaluated as “large body size” at both waves 1 and 2 ensured that this was a long-term physical state and lessened the likelihood that a respondents' elevated body size was the result of puberty alone.”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claimProbably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based).
Interpretationnone givenPositive feelings about one's own ethnic group are likely to increase the salience and appeal of the in-group standard.
“Similarly, positive feelings about one's own ethnic group are likely to increase the salience and appeal of the in-group standard.”
Quote in the paperNot a substantial claimMay combine two claims.
Interpretationown dataBoth family racial socialization and the density of African Americans in respondents' neighborhoods are resources that reduce the negative influence of being overweight.
“this analysis suggests that both family racial socialization and the density of African Americans in respondents' neighborhoods are resources that reduce the negative influence of being overweight.”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claimMay combine two claims.
PremisecitationRacial socialization produces two effects: bi-culturalism and positive feelings about one's ethnic group.
“It also produces two effects that suggest it may contribute to more positive evaluations of body size: bi-culturalism and positive feelings about one's ethnic group”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 3 sources checkedProbably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).
InterpretationcitationThe short term gains from improved self-image during adolescence may eventually be overtaken by obesity's long term costs.
“the short term gains from improved self-image during adolescence may eventually be overtaken by obesity's long term costs.”
Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked- cites Ferraro & Kelley-Moore, 2003
Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.
Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).
Study design and conductown dataBody size ratings from wave 1 videotapes correlated significantly with those from wave 2 (r=.516**).
“Body size ratings from wave 1 videotapes correlated significantly with those from wave 2 (r=.516**).”
Quote in the paperNot a substantial claimClassified as probably not a substantial claim.
PremisecitationA bicultural orientation may reduce the impact of mainstream body size standards by facilitating recognition of the biases inherent in western, white standards of beauty.
“A bicultural orientation may reduce the impact of mainstream body size standards by facilitating recognition of the biases inherent in western, white standards of beauty”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked- cites Lovejoy, 2001 source
Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based).
InterpretationreasoningSuch recognitions may also reduce the influence of social comparisons made with non-African American others.
“Such recognitions may also reduce the influence of social comparisons made with non-African American others.”
Quote in the paperNot a substantial claimProbably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).
Study design and conductown dataThe data were not detailed enough to test whether racial socialization and neighborhood racial composition have their effects because they contribute to the development of a more positive ethnic identity.
“Our data were not detailed enough to be able to test this pathway but future studies could explore this possibility.”
Quote in the paperNot a substantial claimMay combine two claims.
Study design and conductreasoningThe measure of neighborhood racial composition used census block groups as a proxy for the availability of African American comparison others, and block groups are a rough approximation of the actual neighborhoods where respondents are spending time.
“our measure of neighborhood racial composition used census block groups as a proxy for the availability of African American comparison others. While block groups are designed to capture actual residential areas as closely as possible, they are a rough approximation of the actual neighborhoods where respondents are spending time.”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claimMay combine two claims.
InterpretationreasoningAfrican American women growing up in specific contexts appear to enjoy some protection from the imposition of Caucasian standards of slenderness, but they may be more vulnerable in other areas of appearance.
“while African American women growing up in specific contexts appear to enjoy some protection from the imposition of Caucasian standards of slenderness, they may be more vulnerable in other areas.”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claimClassified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.
Study design and conductown dataThe study focused on 'body size' as assessed by others but did not have measures of respondents' perceptions of their own weight.
“We focused on “body size” as assessed by others but did not have measures of respondents' perceptions of their own weight.”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
The paper relies on this without support.
Girls tend to get heavier as they enter adolescence.
“girls tend to get heavier as they enter adolescence”
The paper relies on this without support.
The relationship between body size and self-image varies by racial and ethnic group membership.
“The link between body size and self-image is an important issue for adolescents of all racial groups, not only African-Americans, and a substantial body of research suggests that this relationship does vary by racial and ethnic group membership.”
The paper relies on this without support.
Negative self-images can bring serious consequences, particularly with respect to eating disorders and psychological distress.
“Still, negative self-images can bring serious consequences of their own, particularly with respect to eating disorders and psychological distress.”
The paper relies on this without support.
Self-perceptions are highly influential in guiding decisions to improve health behavior.
“Also, self-perceptions are highly influential in guiding decisions to improve health behavior.”
The paper relies on this without support.
The seemingly paradoxical relationship between weight and positive self-image among African American females has been documented in numerous studies.
“The seemingly paradoxical relationship between weight and positive self-image among African American females has been documented in numerous studies.”
Statistics recomputed
Every reported test result, recomputed from its test statistic and degrees of freedom. A result shows as not adding up only once an independent check has confirmed it.
- Consistentz = -2.41reported p < .05 · recomputed p = .016
“(z= −2.41, p < .05”
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
Each contradiction between two passages listed here was confirmed by an independent check.
A two-tailed test contradicts the stated use of one-tailed tests throughout
MinorThe methods for the results say all significance tests are reported one-tailed, but the later test comparing body-size coefficients is explicitly reported as two-tailed.
“All the hypotheses evaluated in this analysis were directional; consequently we report one-tailed results in all of our tests of significance.”
“The results (z= −2.41, p<.05 – two tailed) suggest that active racial socialization within the home does lessen the influence of a large body size on social self-image.”
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Flagged first, then by citations
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Cited by
Still being checked.
- Authors
- Granberg, E. M., Gordon Simons, L., & Simons, R. L.
- Affiliations
- Clemson University (US)
- University of Georgia
- University of Georgia (US)
- Corresponding author
- Granberg, Ellen M.
- ORCID
- Simons, Ronald L.
- Venue
- Youth & Society
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2009-06-18
- Volume
- 41
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 256-277
- ISSN
- 0044-118X (ISSN-L)
- 1552-8499
- PMC
- PMC2806637
- OpenAlex
- W2114196777
- Semantic Scholar
- e699b0964b68735d2ea2be35b2b19a96bb6c17fa
- Cited by
- 39
- References
- 66
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2021: 4 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 1.34
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Youth & Society (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (submittedVersion)
- PubMed Central (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute of Mental Health (R01 MH062669)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Eating Disorders and Behaviors
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Pharmacy › Obesity and Health Practices
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Racial and Ethnic Identity Research
- Keywords
- body size, social self-image, adolescent girls, African American adolescents, overweight, racial socialization, family influence, body image development
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Claims read by deepseek-v4.1-flash under definition version 3 (extract-v3) on 2026-10-20.
Classified by jev-1.13-20260917 (gold-guideline-v0.2) on 2026-10-20.
Cited sources are checked by gpt-6-sol.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
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