Understanding lifespan relational determinants of body satisfaction

Body dissatisfaction is related to mental and physical health risks through the lifespan, although the impact of relationships on body image across the lifespan is not well understood. This paper explores how relationships impact body image and body satisfaction in young girls and women using in-depth interviews. A modified ecological model will be proposed as a useful tool in not only understanding the impact of relationships on body image, but also in determining efficacious interventions to address the complex problem of body image and the health consequences of body dissatisfaction.

This research utilized repeated in-depth interviews with ten young women focusing on body satisfaction and perceptions of support from family, friends, and others during childhood, middle school ,and high school. Participants were finally asked to summarize their perceptions regarding how relationships impacted body and appearance satisfaction or dissatisfaction during these time periods.

Qualitative analysis provided evidence that proximal or primary relationships impacted satisfaction with one's body shape , size and efficacy to a greater extent than more distal relationships. Perceptions of strong early family support emerged as buffering body dissatisfaction, especially during adolescence, One's sense of one's body is fluid and flexible through time and through relationships, with proximal relations, in general, exerting greater influence on body satisfaction. Early influences from parents and siblings appear to have the greatest capacity to influence young women over time. A modified ecological model may be useful for understanding body image and developing interventions.