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. 2011 Jan;8(1):82-5.
doi: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2010.11.006. Epub 2010 Dec 13.

Self-esteem, social support, collectivism, and the thin-ideal in Latina undergraduates

Elizabeth D Cordero  1
Affiliations

Self-esteem, social support, collectivism, and the thin-ideal in Latina undergraduates

Elizabeth D Cordero. Body Image. 2011 Jan.

Abstract

Thin-ideal internalization (TII) reflects agreement that thinness equates with beauty. TII is a risk factor for body dissatisfaction and eating pathology; this phenomenon and its correlates, however, are just beginning to be studied in Latina undergraduates. This study examined the ability of self-esteem, social support, and collectivism to predict TII in 279 Latina undergraduates. It was hypothesized that higher levels of self-esteem, social support, and collectivism would predict lower levels of TII. Cross-sectional data were analyzed using multiple regression; the model was significant, p<.01. Although both self-esteem and social support negatively correlated with thin-ideal internalization, only self-esteem accounted for a significant amount of variance. Results indicate that investigations of self-esteem as a protective factor against TII in Latina undergraduates would be fruitful, as would how self-esteem and social support affect the relationship between TII and other variables. Implications and limitations are discussed.

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