The Direct and Indirect Effects of Online Social Support, Neuroticism, and Web Content Internalization on the Drive for Thinness among Women Visiting Health-Oriented Websites

Abstract

One of the debates about media usage is the potential harmful effect that it has on body image and related eating disturbances because of its representations of the “ideal body”. This study focuses on the drive for thinness among the visitors of various health-oriented websites and online platforms because neither has yet been sufficiently studied in this context. Specifically, this study aims to bring more insight to the risk factors which can increase the drive for thinness in the users of these websites. We tested the presumption that web content internalization is a key factor in this process, and we considered the effects of selected individual factors, specifically the perceived online social support and neuroticism. We utilized survey data from 445 Czech women (aged 18–29, M = 23.5, SD = 3.1) who visited nutrition, weight loss, and exercise websites. The results showed a positive indirect link between both perceived online social support and neuroticism to the drive for thinness via web content internalization. The results are discussed with regard to the dual role of online support as both risk and protective factor. Moreover, we consider the practical implications for eating behavior and weight-related problems with regard to prevention and intervention.

Problematic usage of the internet and eating disorders: a multifaceted, systematic review and meta-analysis

“…We identified ten studies (n = 3572) reporting data in the drive for thinness domain (Butkowski et al, 2019; Hendrickse et al, 2017; Hummel and Smith, 2015; Kim and Chock, 2015; Kvardova et al, 2020; Levinson et al, 2017; Meier and Gray, 2014; Simpson and Mazzeo, 2017; Tao, 2013; Tiggemann and Miller, 2010). In performing meta-analysis for the drive for thinness domain, we removed one of the studies that was highly influential (reporting an extremely positive Pearson correlation r = 0.51, Cook’s d > 2 S.D.…”

“…In performing meta-analysis for the drive for thinness domain, we removed one of the studies that was highly influential (reporting an extremely positive Pearson correlation r = 0.51, Cook’s d > 2 S.D. above mean of the cohort of studies, n = 445) and of weak quality (Kvardova et al, 2020). Moreover, this study used ‘web content internalization’ which was a quite dissimilar and appearance oriented PUI metric, which may explain the reported association.…”

“…In performing meta-analysis for the drive for thinness domain, we removed one of the studies that was highly influential (reporting an extremely positive Pearson correlation r=0.51, Cook's d >2 S.D. above mean of the cohort of studies, n=445) and of weak quality (Kvardova et al, 2020).…”

“…Legend -Drive for Thinness: Outlier and influential studies diagnostics. Study ID=5 Kvardova et al (Kvardova et al, 2020). is the author/funder, who has granted medRxiv a license to display the preprint in (which was not certified by peer review) preprint…”

“… Drive for Thinness: Outlier and influential studies diagnostics. Study ID = 5 Kvardova et al (Kvardova et al, 2020). …”