GENDER-RELATED DISCOURSES AS MEDIATORS IN THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN INTERNALIZATION OF THE THIN-BODY IDEAL AND INDICANTS OF BODY DISSATISFACTION AND DISORDERED EATING

This study examined whether the gender-related discourses of self-objectification, self-silencing, and anger suppression mediated the association between internalization of the thin-body ideal and body dissatisfaction and eating pathology. We employed a cross-sectional design to study both university (n = 140) and community (n = 76) samples of women from Ireland ranging from 17 to 30 years of age (M = 21.48, SD = 3.05). Structural equation modeling was used to test for mediation, with the final model suggesting that gender-related discourses (silencing the self/anger suppression and body surveillance) mediated the association between thin-body ideal internalization and attitudes and behaviors characteristic of disordered eating. Limitations of the current study and directions for future research are highlighted.