Mass Media, Feelings of Attractiveness, Investment in Body Image and Disordered Eating in Cyprus

Abstract

The purpose of the current study was to assess f or possible relationships between the internalization of the thin ideal by the media, disordered eating attitudes and behaviors, feelings of attractiveness and investment in one’s appearance in a Cypriot sample of university students. Two hundred and twenty six undergraduate and graduate-level university students answered the f our measures used in the study assessing the variables of interest. Results indicated that more internalization of the thin ideal was significantly related to more feelings of unattractiveness, more investment in one’s appearance and higher incidents of disordered eating attitudes and behaviors. In addition, results indicated that the internalization of the thin ideal, feelings of unattractiveness and investment in one’s appearance were significant predictors of disordered eating attitudes and behavior. Possible explanations f or these results as well as implications f or the education and the health-related fields are discussed. Suggestions f or future research around these topics are also suggested.