What is it about?
This study examined the mediating role of self-objectification and the moderating effects of resilience and gender in the relationship between self-esteem and appearance anxiety among 437 university students. The findings revealed that self-esteem negatively correlated with appearance anxiety, with self-objectification serving as a significant mediator. Moreover, the interaction between self-esteem and resilience significantly mitigated the adverse effects of both appearance anxiety and self-objectification across genders.
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Why is it important?
Social and cultural norms, particularly prevailing in Indian societies, influence appearance grooming, while social media usage drives thinness in women and muscularity in men, substantially impacting appearance-related anxiety. In this context, studying appearance anxiety among university students is so essential. It can negatively affect mental and physical health, contributing to decreased self-esteem, poor academic performance, the development of eating disorders, excessive exercise, depressed mood, body dissatisfaction, and reduced life satisfaction as well as well-being. University students frequently evaluate and face criticism from others, particularly from peers, family, and relatives, regarding their physical appearance. Hence, understanding the factors that protect against appearance anxiety and self-objectification in this population may aid in designing effective interventions to promote positive body image and healthy behaviors. Although previous studies have examined the relationships between self-esteem, appearance anxiety, and self-objectification, there is limited empirical research on the proposed model. The current study addresses some novel objectives and research questions, incorporating self-objectification as a mediator and resilience and gender as moderators in the relationship between self-esteem and appearance anxiety.
Perspectives
I hope this article will be both engaging and valuable, as appearance anxiety has become an increasing psychological concern in today's image-driven society, where social media and cultural standards strongly influence self-perception. While prior research has established links between appearance anxiety and mental health issues such as depression, eating disorders, and social anxiety, there remains a gap in understanding the underlying factors that contribute to or mitigate this condition. This study is particularly significant as it explores both risk and protective factors associated with appearance anxiety, offering a more comprehensive perspective on its psychological mechanisms. By examining self-objectification as a mediator in the relationship between self-esteem and appearance anxiety, the study provides insight into how individuals internalize societal beauty standards and how this process affects their self-esteem. Furthermore, investigating resilience and gender as moderating factors can help identify vulnerable groups and those who possess psychological buffers against appearance anxiety. The findings have important implications for mental health interventions, particularly in developing targeted strategies to enhance self-esteem, reduce self-objectification, and strengthen resilience.
Naresh Behera
Banaras Hindu University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Self-esteem, Self-objectification, Appearance Anxiety, Resilience, and Gender: Testing a Moderated Mediational Analysis, The Open Psychology Journal, January 2025, Bentham Science Publishers,
DOI: 10.2174/0118743501347628250114054620.
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