Perceived parenting styles and body appreciation among Chinese adolescents: Exploring the mediating roles of dispositional mindfulness and self-compassion

Purpose: Previous studies suggested that parenting styles, dispositional mindfulness and self-compassion were associated with body image. However, these constructs have not been examined together in any study; consequently, the relationship pattern of these constructs is largely unknown, especially about how some of these constructs are related to one positive aspect of body image (e.g., body appreciation). The present study examined the association between adolescents' perceived parenting styles and body appreciation and explored whether such association was mediated by mindfulness and self-compassion. Method: A sample of 455 middle school students (203 males, 248 females; aged from 12 to 15 years old) participated in the current study. They completed a battery of questionnaires assessing parenting styles, dispositional mindfulness, self-compassion, and body appreciation. Path analysis was used to test the proposed mediating model. Results: The results revealed that parenting styles were significantly related to body appreciation, and the relationships between parenting styles of overprotection and emotional warmth and body appreciation could be partially mediated by self-compassion, but not by dispositional mindfulness. Discussion: The results suggest that parenting styles and self-compassion might be important contributing factors for body appreciation among Chinese adolescents; however, future studies are warranted to further examine the causal effects of parenting styles, dispositional mindfulness, and self-compassion on adolescents' body appreciation. Y