Abstract

Eating disorders are one of the most lethal psychological disorders and need further insight into how they are developed. After an extensive literature review, I am proposing that social feedback influences body image, and body image influences eating disorders. It was predicted that there will be a strong, positive correlation between body image (as measured by body dissatisfaction) and eating disorders. It was also predicted that there will be a strong, positive correlation between social feedback and body image. A meta-analysis was conducted to determine the correlation between body image and eating disorders, yielding a moderately strong, positive correlation (ravg = 0.42). This indicates that body image does influence the development of eating disorders. Alternatively, a survey using three different measures, the Body Appreciation Scale, the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire, and the Social Feedback Scale, was used to find the correlation between social feedback and body image. Negative social feedback had a strong, positive correlation to body self-image (r = 0.42), whereas positive social feedback had a weak, negative correlation to body self-image (r = –0.07). This indicates that negative social feedback has an impact on body self-image, while positive social feedback does not. Implications of the findings and how they develop treatment plans are discussed below.

Semester/Year of Award

Fall 2020

Mentor

Richard Osbaldiston

Mentor Department Affiliation

Psychology

Access Options

Open Access Thesis

Document Type

Bachelor Thesis

Degree Name

Honors Scholars

Degree Level

Bachelor's

Department

Chemistry

IRB Approval Number (if applicable)

003175

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