(PS7-53) Frequency and Impact of Appearance-based Commentary Contribute to Body Dissatisfaction Among Latinas

Introduction: Identifying factors contributing to body dissatisfaction is important, as not all individuals with a higher BMI experience body image concerns. The negative impact of  both positive and negative appearance-based commentary can lead to increased negative affect, body dissatisfaction, and disordered eating; the frequency of these comments are also associated with lower self-esteem. Recent research has demonstrated that for some Latinas, positive appearance-related commentary had a negative impact, and they experienced the impact more negatively than White or Black women. Thus, the current study explores whether the frequency and impact of negative and positive appearance-based commentary would mediate the relation between BMI and body dissatisfaction among Latinas.

Methods: Latinas (N = 214; Mage = 19.23, SDage = 1.27; MBMI = 25.07, SDBMI = 4.84) completed self-report questionnaires. Data was drawn from measures assessing frequency and impact of appearance-based commentary (VCOPAS), as well as body dissatisfaction (EDEQ). Two serial mediation models were analyzed using the PROCESS macro in SPSS. For the first model, the frequency of negative commentary was entered as the first mediator, and the impact of negative commentary was entered as the second mediator. A similar approach was used for the second model, with the frequency of positive commentary as the first mediator, and the impact of positive commentary as the second mediator.

Results: For the first model, there was a significant indirect effect indicating that the frequency and impact of negative appearance-based commentary serially mediated the relation between BMI and body dissatisfaction (IE = .0059, CI [.0020, .0115]). Latina women with a higher BMI received more frequent negative commentary, which was associated with a greater negative impact of negative appearance commentary, which in turn was related to greater body dissatisfaction. For the second model, there was no significant indirect effect for the model containing frequency and impact of positive commentary (IE = .0002, CI [-.0023, .0023]). However, the frequency of positive commentary was a significant mediator between BMI and body dissatisfaction (IE = .0289, CI [.0153, .0456]); as BMI increased, the frequency of positive commentary decreased, which was associated with greater body dissatisfaction. 

Discussion: Results indicate that Latinas with higher BMIs experience a higher frequency of negative appearance-based commentary, as well as a more negative impact of these comments, which then is associated with higher body dissatisfaction. These findings support prior research underscoring the potential harmful effects of appearance-related commentary on body image. Future research should examine what factors may help mitigate the impact of negative appearance-related commentary, and how commentary, even ones that seem innocuous, may affect cognitions and emotions. Advancements in our understanding of these phenomena can inform treatment targets in cognitive behavioral interventions.