The Associations Between Wives' Internalized Weight Bias and Other Weight-Related Concerns, Perceived Husbands' Weight-Related Comments, Perceived Mate Value, and Psychological and Relationship Outcomes

The purpose of the present study was to extend prior research on married, heterosexual wives' internalized weight bias (IWB) and other weight-related concerns, wives' perceived husbands' weight-related comments, wives' perceived mate value, psychological distress, and relationship satisfaction. The study sample consisted of 209 currently married women in a heterosexual relationship (M-age = 48.9, SD = 14.3). Participants were drawn from an online survey platform (Qualtrics) designed to approximate the U.S. population on age. race, and region of the country. Online measures assessed IWB, weight concerns, perceived husbands' weight-related comments, mate value, relationship satisfaction, sexual intimacy, self-esteem, and depressive symptoms. Internalized weight bias was more strongly correlated with depressive symptoms and self-esteem than with any other weight- or self-related variables, including perceived husbands' weight-related comments. The association between IWB, relationship satisfaction, and sexual intimacy was also quite robust. Structural equation modeling analyses revealed that wives' IWB and other weight-related concerns and perceived husbands' weight-related suggestions or criticisms had both direct and indirect effects through perceived mate value on wives' psychological distress, relationship satisfaction. and sexual intimacy. This investigation suggests that wives' IWB and other weight-related concerns and perceived husbands' weight-related comments are strongly associated with psychological distress, relationship satisfaction, and sexual intimacy.