Date of Graduation

Summer 2019

Degree

Master of Science in Psychology

Department

Psychology

Committee Chair

Danae Hudson

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to explore differences and similarities in multiple aspects of male body image across age groups, including body dissatisfaction, coping strategies, functional appreciation, and mood. It was first hypothesized that younger men would report greater dissatisfaction with muscularity and body fat than middle-aged and older men. The second hypothesis stated that body dissatisfaction would predict depressive symptoms. The third hypothesis predicted that age and functionality appreciation for the body would be positively correlated. Finally, researchers evaluated the relationship between body image coping strategies and age from an exploratory perspective. Participants included 344 men ages 18-88 recruited through Amazon’s Mechanical Turk and various social media websites. Participants completed a series of questionnaires assessing body dissatisfaction, depressive symptoms, and body image coping strategies. Correlations, analyses of variance, and a hierarchical regression were conducted to test the four hypotheses. The first hypothesis was partially supported, as younger men reported greater dissatisfaction with muscularity. The second hypothesis was supported when a measure of body dissatisfaction predicted depressive symptoms, but not when a figure-rating scale was used instead. The third hypothesis received no support. Lastly, researchers found significant differences in body image coping strategies between age groups, such that younger men used more coping strategies than older men.

Keywords

body image, men, body dissatisfaction, muscularity, age groups, coping strategies

Subject Categories

Clinical Psychology | Developmental Psychology | Geropsychology

Copyright

© Amy K. Jordan

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Open Access

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