Positive Body Image and Psychological Wellbeing among Women and Men: The Mediating Role of Body Image Coping Strategies

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the mediating role of body image coping strategies in the relationship between positive body image and wellbeing. Three hundred and seventy-two women and three hundred and seventy-seven men completed a questionnaire assessing body appreciation, body appreciation functionality, body compassion, body image coping strategies (appearance fixing, avoidance, positive rational acceptance), self-acceptance and overall psychological wellbeing. Path analysis showed that avoidance significantly mediated the relationship between body appreciation and overall psychological wellbeing among both women and men; its mediating role was confirmed for men’s but not for women’s self-acceptance. Positive rational acceptance was a significant mediator of the relationship between body compassion and both psychological wellbeing and self-acceptance among men but not among women. These findings show that higher body appreciation is associated with a lower tendency to avoid appearance-related cognitions or thoughts that are interpreted as threatening, with an indirect effect on women’s and men’s psychological wellbeing. Analogously, but only for men, body compassion is associated with mental activities and self-care behaviors that foster rational self-talk and the acceptance of one’s experiences, which, in turn, are linked to higher wellbeing. These findings can help to plan programs aimed at fostering individuals’ wellbeing by focusing on their positive body image considering gender differences.