The relation between body dissatisfaction and eating disorder symptomatology: An analysis of moderating variables

Although body dissatisfaction is a strong predictor of disordered eating among women, a majority of women report substantial body dissatisfaction but do not concomitantly report severe levels of eating disorder symptomatology. Third variables, then, may interact with body dissatisfaction to influence its relation to eating disorder symptomatology. Seven theoretically relevant variables were investigated as to whether they moderated this relation within 2 samples (n = 304, n = 373) of college women. As anticipated, body surveillance, neuroticism, and having a family member and friend with an eating disorder intensified the primary body dissatisfaction-eating disorder symptomatology relation. Contrary to hypotheses, social insecurity and appearance control beliefs did not moderate this relation, and poor impulse regulation weakened the relation between body dissatisfaction and I component of eating disorder symptomatology (i.e., drive for thinness).