Parental Confirmation, Body Dissatisfaction, and Disordered Eating Behaviors Among Female College Students

Abstract

Objective To examine whether parental communication is associated with body dissatisfaction and disordered eating among college‐age daughters and whether these associations are mediated by psychological well‐being. Background Appearance‐related parental comments such as weight criticism have been shown to contribute to daughters' body dissatisfaction and disordered eating. Yet less is known about how the general quality of parental communication that is not directly related to appearance is associated with these problems. Method Structural equation modeling was used with a convenience sample of 306 undergraduate women who completed an online survey that included perceptions of mothers' and fathers' acceptance (i.e., warmth and care) and challenge (i.e., pushing children so that they can achieve greater success). Results Parental confirmation was associated with greater psychological well‐being, which, in turn, was negatively related to body dissatisfaction and disordered eating behaviors. The associations of acceptance and challenge with body dissatisfaction differed by parental sex. Conclusion The findings suggest that body‐satisfied daughters who are less likely to engage in disordered eating have (a) a combination of accepting and challenging communication from mothers and (b) accepting (not challenging) communication from fathers. Implications Family practitioners are encouraged to educate parents about the link between their communication and daughters' issues surrounding body image and eating behaviors.

The impact of parenting practices and family economy on psychological wellbeing and learning patterns in higher education students

“…In this study, the role of the father seems to be less relevant in predicting coping with difficulties , with father’s control and protection appearing with a significant negative impact in developing coping abilities. These results on the influences of mother’s and father’s rearing patterns reflect (at the university level) the main studies done at different educational levels (Batool, 2019 ; Bully et al, 2019 ; Franco et al, 2014 ; Fuentes et al, 2015 ; Gómez et al, 2015 ; Gordon & Cui, 2012 ; Kim et al, 2020 ; Masud et al, 2019 ; Moral et al, 2020 ; Njega et al, 2019 ; Robledo & García, 2009 ; Taniguchi, 2019 ).…”

“…This concept of DinL was operationalized as a construct based on the literature on the field and on a preliminary study (see below), comprising five psychological dimensions: (1) Coping with difficulties includes the degree to which the student abates or regulates mental health difficulties related to learning, such as anxiety, irritability, discouragement, apathy, poor performance expectations, difficulties in the place of study, distortions on achievement attributions, low self-esteem, low perceived self-efficacy, and negative attitudes of the class group (Aliberti et al, 2019 ; Álvarez & Fernández, 2005 ; Batool, 2019 ; Chiodelli et al, 2018 ; Del Valle et al, 2020 ; Heritage et al, 2023 ; Khalil et al, 2020 ; Lew et al, 2019 ; MacCann et al, 2020 ; Matalinares et al, 2016 ; Morales & Pérez., 2019 ; Njega et al, 2019 ; Robledo & García, 2009 ; Taniguchi, 2019 ; Tinajero et al, 2020 ; Trunce et al, 2020 ; Weinstein et al, 2002 ). The studies on cognitive, emotional, or psychosocial difficulties and family/social stressors affecting learning show that these difficulties feed each other if not treated early using inclusive and integrative approaches (e.g., Asante & Andoh-Arthur, 2015 ; Chiodelli et al, 2018 ; Ibrahim et al, 2013 ; January et al, 2018 ; Lamis et al, 2016 ; Lew et al, 2019 ; Mirza et al, 2021 ; Samaniego & Buenahora, 2016 ; Santander et al, 2013 ; Tian-Ci Quek et al, 2019 ; Trunce et al, 2020 ).…”

“…Other important family and social factors pointed out by the literature as influencing DinL are the family socio-economic level (Gandarillas, 2011 ; Guterman & Neuman, 2018 ; Rodríguez-Hernández et al, 2020 ; Kim et al, 2020 ; Martineli et al, 2018 ; Piccolo et al, 2016 ), the parents’ level of education (Guterman & Neuman, 2018 ; Han et al, 2023 ; Kim et al, 2020 ; Masud et al, 2019 ; Silva-Laya et al, 2020 ), the gender of the student (Bully et al, 2019 ; Taniguchi, 2019 ), and the culture and origin of the family (Kim et al, 2020 ; Worrell, 2014 ). We should also consider that family cultures, structures, and roles have undergone a deep change in the last decades, increasing the diversity in types of families and parenting styles (Cowan & Cowan, 2019 ; Kim et al, 2020 ).…”

Latinas’ internalization of U.S. beauty ideals as a moderator of the relations between appearance-related messages from family members and Latinas’ depressive symptoms

“…Although there tends to be more focus and discussion on mother-daughter interactions in the body image literature (Cooley et al, 2008), we argue that each interpersonal source (i.e., fathers, sisters) is important and will contribute to Latinas’ mental health (Chow & Tan, 2018; Romo & Mireles-Rios, 2016). In fact, researchers have found that close relationships with fathers promotes healthy eating and well-being in female colleges students (Taniguchi, 2019). Extending the current literature to examine messages from sisters is critical because sisters’ messages may also be salient, especially in this cultural group.…”