The Comparison of Cyprus to Six Other European Countries on Body Image Satisfaction, Appearance Investment and Weight and Appearance-Related Anxiety

Abstract

Previous research has pointed out the importance of Cyprus in the body image literature as well as the importance of body-image crosscultural investigations. The purpose of the current study was to compare appearance satisfaction, investment in appearance and weight and appearance-related anxiety between female university students from Cyprus and female university students from France, Germany, Greece, Netherlands, Spain and Poland. Participants were 199 females whose scores on the measures of interest were compared to archived published means from the other six countries. Results indicated that Greek-Cypriot female university students scored significantly higher than all countries assessed on investment in appearance and weight and appearance-related anxiety. Additionally, female participants from Cyprus scored in the middle of the appearance satisfaction scale scoring higher than Greece and France, lower than the Netherlands and Germany and having similar results to Spain and Poland. A discussion follows elaborating on the argument of why Cyprus is significant in the body image literature, and the interpretation of the results using the cognitive-behavioral perspective of body image satisfaction. Recommendations for mental health professionals and other professionals in the public health sector are also provided.