Abstract
Fear of negative evaluation has been linked with weight/shape concerns among adults, however, similar research among adolescents is lacking. We investigated the relationship between fear of negative evaluation and weight/shape concerns, including the moderating roles of gender and body mass index (BMI) in adolescents. Participant were 4045 Australian adolescents (53.7% girls) aged 11–19 years (Mage = 14 years 11 months), who completed a self-report questionnaire about weight/shape concerns, fear of negative evaluation, and weight and height. Results showed a positive association between fear of negative evaluation and weight/shape concerns, with the association being stronger among girls. Furthermore, the association between fear of negative evaluation and weight/shape concerns was stronger among adolescents with higher BMIs, especially so for boys. These results highlight the role of fear of negative evaluation in weight/shape concerns and suggest potential avenues for prevention programs.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1398-1408 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Journal of Youth and Adolescence |
| Volume | 47 |
| Issue number | 7 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Jul 2018 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2018, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
Keywords
- body image
- eating disorders
- sex role
- social phobia
- teenagers