Normative body image distortion and dissatisfaction among black African and white female university students.
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Date
2017
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Abstract
Research in South Africa remains somewhat limited with regard to eating disorders
across race groups. This study aimed to examine whether there were any statistically
significant differences between both body image distortion and body image satisfaction
between black African and white female university students.
The Image-Marking Procedure and the Movable Caliper Technique were used to
assess whether participants distorted certain body dimensions (shoulders, waist, hips, and
thighs). The Body Cathexis Scale was used to assess and compare body dissatisfaction
between the two race groups. The assessments were conducted with a non-probability
convenience sample of 20 white and 20 black African female university students.
No statistically significant difference was found regarding overall body image
distortion between the race groups. This finding was replicated for each of the body
dimensions measured. There were also no statistically significant differences found regarding
body image dissatisfaction between the two race groups.
This study concluded that there was no statistically significant difference between
both distortion and dissatisfaction components of body image of both black African and
white female university students. The implications of the findings are discussed, challenging
the notion that eating disorders, and aspects of eating disorders, are a Western cultural
phenomenon and racially bound.
Description
Master of Social Science in Counselling Psychology. University of KwaZulu-Natal. Durban, 2017.