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Cited by 19Obesity and Health PracticesHumor Studies and ApplicationsEating Disorders and Behaviors

Fear of being laughed at in children and adolescents: Exploring the importance of overweight, underweight, and teasing

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Kohlmann, Carl-Walter, Eschenbeck, Heike, Heim-Dreger, Uwe, Hock, Michael, Platt, Tracey, Ruch, Willibald·2018·Frontiers in Psychology
DOI 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01447PMC PMC6102344
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Abstract

Weight bias toward obese youths is often accompanied by the experience of psychological stress in those affected. Therefore, the fear of being laughed at (i.e., gelotophobia) in overweight children and adolescents can be rather serious. In four explorative studies, the importance of relative weight, self-awareness of weight (incl. satisfaction with weight), experiences of teasing and ridicule, as well as the role of social-evaluative situations in school were analyzed with regard to gelotophobia. In two online interviews of adults with pronounced gelotophobia (Study I: 102 English-speaking participants, Study II: 22 German-speaking participants) relating to reasons they assumed for their development of gelotophobia, there was evidence of injurious appearance-related experiences during childhood and adolescence. In Study III (75 Swiss adolescents) associations between the experience of weight-related teasing and mockery with overweight, self-perceptions of weight, and gelotophobia were analyzed. Especially in girls, overweight was associated with the experience of weight-related teasing and ridicule, which in turn was accompanied by gelotophobia. Study IV included 178 German adolescents who were asked to report their body image ("Do you think you are… too thin, just the right weight, or too fat?"). In addition, gelotophobia, teasing, BMI based on self-reports, and joy at school were measured. In particular, girls who felt too fat and boys who felt too thin reported teasing. Teasing was related to diminished joy at school and to gelotophobia. Among boys, underweight mediated by weight-related teasing contributed to gelotophobia. The results suggest that more research should be devoted to gelotophobia and the experience of weight-related teasing and mocking to better understand factors contributing to the well-being of children and adolescents with weight problems.

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  • Weight-related teasing may increase the risk of social isolation and mental health problems for both overweight and underweight groups.

    “Moreover, previous studies have shown that weight-related teasing occurs for overweight and underweight adolescents, which consequently may increase the risk of social isolation and mental health problems for both groups [16,17].”

    From Psychopathological symptoms and well-being in overweight and underweight adolescents: A network analysis (2021) · cites this paper as [16]

    The Study IV Discussion reports high teasing scores among girls who felt too fat and boys who felt too thin, and links weight-related teasing to diminished joy at school and fear of being laughed at. Study III also reports an association between weight-related teasing and anxiety, depression, and negative self-esteem. The paper does not establish that teasing increases the risk of social isolation in both weight groups; its findings on mental health are associations rather than demonstrated increases in risk. (LLM, conf=0.85)

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  • Weight-related teasing occurs for overweight and underweight adolescents.

    “Moreover, previous studies have shown that weight-related teasing occurs for overweight and underweight adolescents, which consequently may increase the risk of social isolation and mental health problems for both groups [16,17].”

    From Psychopathological symptoms and well-being in overweight and underweight adolescents: A network analysis (2021) · cites this paper as [16]

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. Pekrun R. Muis K. R. Frenzel A. C. Goetz T. (2018). Emotions at School. New York, NY: Routledge.

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Authors
Kohlmann, C.-W., Eschenbeck, H., Heim-Dreger, U., Hock, M., Platt, T., & Ruch, W.
Affiliations
  • University of Education Schwaebisch Gmuend (DE)
  • University of Wolverhampton (GB)
  • University of Zurich (CH)
Corresponding author
Kohlmann, Carl-Walter
ORCID
Venue
Frontiers in Psychology
Publisher
Frontiers Media SA
Published
2018-08-14
Volume
9
Pages
1447-1447
ISSN
1664-1078 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01447
PMC
PMC6102344
OpenAlex
W2886266739
Cited by
19
References
48
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 2
FWCI
5.95
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Frontiers in Psychology (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
  • National Science Foundation
  • Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › Pharmacy › Obesity and Health Practices
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Humor Studies and Applications
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Eating Disorders and Behaviors
Keywords
gelotophobia, fear of being laughed at, weight-related teasing, weight bias, overweight children and adolescents, underweight, body image, weight perception, social-evaluative stress, gender differences, childhood obesity

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