Article Version of Record

Body image, self-esteem, media, disordered eating and actual ideal weight discrepancy: Findings in Cyprus

Author(s) / Creator(s)

Argyrides, Marios
Sivitanides, Marisia

Abstract / Description

The current study aimed to evaluate the relationship between the actual ideal weight discrepancy and the following variables in adolescents from Cyprus: self-esteem, appearance satisfaction, investment in appearance, weight-related anxiety, internalization of the thin and athletic ideals, the perception of the media as a good source of information in regards to appearance, the perception of the media as a source of pressure, and disordered eating symptomatology. The sample consisted of 2220 high school students (881 boys, 1339 girls) who answered the measures of interest. Results indicated significant relationships between the actual ideal weight discrepancy and all the variables of interest. In addition, results indicated weight-related anxiety and appearance satisfaction to be significant predictors of the actual ideal discrepancy in both boys and girls. Significant gender differences concerning the actual ideal weight discrepancy were also found where girls reported higher levels of discrepancy. No differences were found concerning age, socioeconomic status and place of upbringing and residence. The results of this study offer important additional information to the body image and disordered eating literature regarding a construct (actual ideal weight discrepancy) never examined before in Cyprus. This information could be used by Cypriot and European mental health professionals when working with children and teenagers who are at risk for or exhibit symptoms related to eating disorders and in developing prevention interventions.

Keyword(s)

body image self-esteem media disordered eating actual ideal weight discrepancy Cyprus

Persistent Identifier

Date of first publication

2017-02-14

Journal title

The European Journal of Counselling Psychology

Volume

6

Issue

1

Page numbers

63–74

Publisher

PsychOpen GOLD

Publication status

publishedVersion

Review status

peerReviewed

Is version of

Citation

Argyrides, M., & Sivitanides, M. (2017). Body image, self-esteem, media, disordered eating and actual ideal weight discrepancy: Findings in Cyprus. The European Journal of Counselling Psychology, 6(1), 63–74. https://doi.org/10.5964/ejcop.v6i1.109
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Argyrides, Marios
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Sivitanides, Marisia
  • PsychArchives acquisition timestamp
    2018-11-29T07:49:07Z
  • Made available on
    2018-11-29T07:49:07Z
  • Date of first publication
    2017-02-14
  • Abstract / Description
    The current study aimed to evaluate the relationship between the actual ideal weight discrepancy and the following variables in adolescents from Cyprus: self-esteem, appearance satisfaction, investment in appearance, weight-related anxiety, internalization of the thin and athletic ideals, the perception of the media as a good source of information in regards to appearance, the perception of the media as a source of pressure, and disordered eating symptomatology. The sample consisted of 2220 high school students (881 boys, 1339 girls) who answered the measures of interest. Results indicated significant relationships between the actual ideal weight discrepancy and all the variables of interest. In addition, results indicated weight-related anxiety and appearance satisfaction to be significant predictors of the actual ideal discrepancy in both boys and girls. Significant gender differences concerning the actual ideal weight discrepancy were also found where girls reported higher levels of discrepancy. No differences were found concerning age, socioeconomic status and place of upbringing and residence. The results of this study offer important additional information to the body image and disordered eating literature regarding a construct (actual ideal weight discrepancy) never examined before in Cyprus. This information could be used by Cypriot and European mental health professionals when working with children and teenagers who are at risk for or exhibit symptoms related to eating disorders and in developing prevention interventions.
    en_US
  • Publication status
    publishedVersion
  • Review status
    peerReviewed
  • Citation
    Argyrides, M., & Sivitanides, M. (2017). Body image, self-esteem, media, disordered eating and actual ideal weight discrepancy: Findings in Cyprus. The European Journal of Counselling Psychology, 6(1), 63–74. https://doi.org/10.5964/ejcop.v6i1.109
    en_US
  • ISSN
    2195-7614
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12034/1673
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.2039
  • Language of content
    eng
  • Publisher
    PsychOpen GOLD
  • Is version of
    https://doi.org/10.5964/ejcop.v6i1.109
  • Keyword(s)
    body image
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    self-esteem
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    media
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    disordered eating
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    actual ideal weight discrepancy
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    Cyprus
    en_US
  • Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)
    150
  • Title
    Body image, self-esteem, media, disordered eating and actual ideal weight discrepancy: Findings in Cyprus
    en_US
  • DRO type
    article
  • Issue
    1
  • Journal title
    The European Journal of Counselling Psychology
  • Page numbers
    63–74
  • Volume
    6
  • Visible tag(s)
    Version of Record