Amanda Nerini

Development and validation of the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-4 (SATAQ-4).

The Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-3 (SATAQ-3) and its earlier versions are measures designed to assess societal and interpersonal aspects of appearance ideals. Correlational, structural equation modeling, and prospective studies of the SATAQ-3 have shown consistent and significant associations with measures of body image disturbance and eating pathology. In the current investigation, the SATAQ-3 was revised to improve upon some conceptual limitations and was evaluated in 4 U.S. and 3 international female samples, as well as a U.S. male sample. In Study 1, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses for a sample of women from the Southeastern United States (N = 859) indicated a 22-item scale with 5 factors: Internalization: Thin/Low Body Fat, Internalization: Muscular/Athletic, Pressures: Family, Pressures: Media, Pressures: Peers. This scale structure was confirmed in 3 independent and geographically diverse samples of women from the United States (East Coast N = 440, West Coast N = 304, and North/Midwest N = 349). SATAQ-4 scale scores demonstrated excellent reliability and good convergent validity with measures of body image, eating disturbance, and self-esteem. Study 2 replicated the factorial validity, reliability, and convergent validity of the SATAQ-4 in an international sample of women drawn from Italy, England, and Australia (N = 362). Study 3 examined a sample of college males from the United States (N = 271); the 5-factor solution was largely replicated, yet there was some evidence of an underlying structure unique to men. Future research avenues include additional item testing and modification of the scale for men, as well as adaptation of the measure for children and adolescents.

Validation of an Italian version of the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-3 (SATAQ-3) on adolescent girls

The present study used exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to investigate the factor structure of an Italian version of the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-3 (SATAQ-3) with a sample of 598 adolescent girls. Results of EFA indicated a four-factor structure: Information, Pressures, Internalization-General, and Internalization-Athlete. Factor loadings confirmed the original structure of the scale, except for one item. As expected, the four factors appeared to be slightly correlated. Cronbachs alphas for the four subscales were uniformly high: Information=.91, Pressures=.91, Internalization-General=.94, Internalization-Athlete=.84. Convergent validity of this Italian version of the SATAQ-3 was found to be good. SATAQ-3 seems useful to measure different aspects of societal influences on body image in Italian contexts. Future studies could subject SATAQ-3 to a confirmatory factor analysis in order to confirm the adequate fit of the model according to conventional criteria.

Predittori dell’interesse per la chirurgia estetica. Influenze socioculturali e insoddisfazione corporea

Lo scopo della presente ricerca e individuare i fattori psicosociali che influenzano l’interesse a sottoporsi ad interventi di chirurgia estetica in generale e mirati a modificare specifiche parti del proprio corpo in giovani donne. Alle partecipanti (N = 203; eta media = 26.70, DS = 3.63) e stato somministrato un questionario volto a rilevare le attribuzioni da parte dei pari circa l’importanza dell’aspetto fisico per la popolarita, le pressioni dei media, l’interiorizzazione degli ideali di bellezza, il livello d’insoddisfazione corporea, l’interesse a sottoporsi a chirurgia estetica in generale, a chirurgia estetica volta a modificare il seno e a chirurgia estetica per la riduzione del grasso corporeo. I risultati mettono in luce che l’effetto delle pressioni e delle attribuzioni da parte dei pari sull’interesse a sottoporsi a interventi di chirurgia estetica in generale o volti alla modifica del seno e mediato dall’interiorizzazione degli ideali promossi dai media. Per quanto riguarda gli interventi volti a ridurre il grasso corporeo, l’insoddisfazione corporea, e non l’interiorizzazione, risulta mediare la relazione tra influenze sociali e interesse per questo tipo di procedure. Le attribuzioni da parte dei pari risultano avere anche un effetto diretto sul desiderio di ricorrere a interventi volti a ridurre il grasso corporeo. Lo studio fornisce un importante contributo per comprendere il crescente interesse verso la chirurgia estetica da parte della popolazione femminile. I risultati possono avere rilevanti implicazioni per la progettazione di interventi di prevenzione e di promozione della salute.

Influenza dei media, autostima e insoddisfazione corporea in un gruppo di preadolescenti maschi e femmine

Media influence, self-esteem and body dissatisfaction in a group of preadolescent boys and girls - The present study analyses the relation among media influence, self esteem and body dissatisfaction in a group of preadolescent boys and girls. 243 preadolescents with the mean age of 12 were involved. The group consisted of 127 boys and 116 girls. They were asked to complete the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-3 (SATAQ-3; Thompson et al., 2004), the Body Shape Questionnaire (Dowson e Henderson, 2001) and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965). Preadolescent females reported higher levels of body dissatisfaction than preadolescent males. They also scored higher in three SATAQ-3 subscales: whether media are important source of information about being attractive, internalization of a media thin ideal and perceived media pressures to be thin. Body mass index and internalization of a thin ideal emerged as significant predictors of body dissatisfaction for both sexes. Perceived media pressures predict body dissatisfaction only among girls. Key words: media influence, self-esteem, body dissatisfaction, preadolescence Parole chiave: influenza dei media, autostima, insoddisfazione corporea, preadolescenza.

What messages can foster safer sex among young women? Experimental evidence concerning the role of emotions and moral norms

Abstract Through a 2 × 2 × 2 quasi experimental design (N = 254), this research investigated if a social campaign eliciting positive emotions and activating moral norms might enhance condom negotiation skills, intended and estimated condom among young women with or without past sexual experience with casual partners. Emotions had a main effect on one of the six condom negotiation strategies we considered; for most of the other variables an interaction effect with moral norms and/or past behaviour emerged. Concerning estimated condom use, positive emotions worked better than negative ones when moral norms were salient. With respect to negotiations skills, positive rather than negative emotions seemed more effective for women with past causal sexual experience. In women without this kind of experience, positive emotions seemed to work better when moral norms were salient. Moral norms had a main effect on negotiation self-efficacy, but not in the predicted direction: when moral norms were more salient women were found to be less confident about their negotiation ability. These results suggest that a message which makes moral norms salient should at the same time elicit positive emotions in order to be effective; moreover, messages should be carefully tailored according to women’s past behaviour.

Tu come mi vedi? Commenti del partner circa l’aspetto fisico, immagine corporea e soddisfazione di coppia: uno studio empirico

La presente ricerca si propone di indagare la relazione tra commenti positivi e negativi sull’aspetto fisico in generale e sul peso corporeo ricevuti dal proprio partner, la soddisfazione di coppia e l’insoddisfazione corporea individuale. A 82 coppie eterosessuali e stato somministrato un questionario volto a misurare le variabili oggetto di studio. Le ipotesi della ricerca sono state testate attraverso una serie di path analysis basate sull’Actor-Partner Interdependence Model, in modo da cogliere le influenze reciproche tra partner. In entrambi i partner, ricevere commenti positivi sul peso sembra diminuire l’insoddisfazione corporea. I commenti negativi su peso e forma corporea ricevuti dalle donne si associano all’insoddisfazione corporea del partner maschile. Per quanto riguarda la soddisfazione di coppia, i commenti sull’aspetto generale ricevuti da ciascun partner si associano a soddisfazione diadica, percezione di comprensione e stima e comunicazione relazionale di colui che li riceve. Nel caso della self-disclosure tale effetto si osserva solo per le donne; per gli uomini i commenti generali positivi ricevuti si associno ad una maggiore self-disclosure delle donne. Da un punto di vista applicativo i risultati suggeriscono come interventi volti a migliorare la soddisfazione di coppia possano essere diretti a migliorare la comunicazione tra partner anche con riferimento all’aspetto fisico. Inoltre, interventi che mirano a ridurre l’insoddisfazione corporea in entrambi i generi dovrebbero considerare il ruolo del partner come fonte significativa di influenza.

Comparing internalization of appearance ideals and appearance-related pressures among women from the United States, Italy, England, and Australia

Researchers have observed variation in levels of body image disturbance and eating pathology among women from different Western countries. Examination of cross-cultural differences in the established risk factors (i.e., thin-ideal internalization, muscular-ideal internalization, and appearance pressures from family, peers, and media) for negative outcomes may help to elucidate the prominence of specific risk factors within a given Western society and guide associated interventions. Women from the United States (US), Italy, England, and Australia completed the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-4 (SATAQ-4). Analysis of covariance controlling for age and BMI indicated significant cross-country differences for all SATAQ-4 subscales. Results typically indicated higher levels of appearance-ideal internalization and appearance pressures in the US and lower levels in Italy; however, associated effect sizes were generally small. A medium effect of country was observed for peer-appearance pressures, which were highest in the US compared with all other countries. Repeated-measures analysis of variance and paired samples t tests conducted within each country identified thin-ideal internalization and media appearance pressures as the predominant risk factors for all four countries. Overall, findings suggest more cross-country similarities than differences, and highlight the importance of delivering interventions to address thin-ideal internalization and media appearance pressures among women from Western backgrounds.Level of evidence Descriptive study, Level V.

Why are men interested in cosmetic surgery procedures? Examining the role of different forms of peer influence, social comparison, internalization, and body dissatisfaction

The present research examined the roles of different forms of peer influence, internalization, social comparison, and body dissatisfaction in mens interest in cosmetic surgery. Participants were 204 Italian men (Mage = 34.02, SD = 11.21). Regression analyses showed that appearance conversations with friends and peer attribution were associated with consideration of cosmetic surgery for social reasons, while teasing on muscularity (but not teasing on general body and shape) was linked to interest in cosmetic surgery for intrapersonal motives. Social comparison was significantly and positively associated with mens interest in cosmetic surgery, while internalization was not. Dissatisfaction with body fat was linked to mens consideration of cosmetic surgery for social motivations, while muscularity and height dissatisfaction did not emerge as significant correlates of cosmetic surgery attitudes. These findings highlight the importance of psychosocial factors, such as peer influence, body fat dissatisfaction, and social comparison in mens interest in cosmetic procedures.

Psychological Predictors of Aggressive Behavior Among Men and Women

This study examined the relationships among attitude toward violence, self-esteem, emotion dysregulation, anger, and aggression in community men and women and male inmates. Overall, 166 community men, 197 community women, and 100 male inmates completed a battery of questionnaires containing self-reported measures. Self-esteem and attitude toward violence were significant predictors of aggressive behavior, with emotion dysregulation mediating the relationship between self-esteem and the criterion variable. Anger mediated the relationship between emotion dysregulation and aggressive behavior only among community people. Among men, inmates reported a more favorable attitude toward violence, lower self-esteem, higher emotion dysregulation, more aggressive behaviors, and a lower tendency to get angry. Women showed a less favorable attitude toward violence, lower self-esteem, higher emotion dysregulation, and a higher tendency for anger than men, while no differences emerged for aggressive behavior. These findings suggest that self-related constructs and emotion regulation strategies represent key processes associated with aggressive behavior among all participants, while the role of anger is more prominent in community people. To reduce aggressive tendencies, treatment and prevention interventions might increase self-esteem, emotion regulation skills, and one’s ability to direct anger toward other goals. Moreover, programs aimed at changing attitudes toward violence could be useful.

L’intenzione di continuare a svolgere attività di volontariato: un confronto tra associazioni laiche e confessionali

The intention to continue volunteering: a study between lay association and confessional association - The literature analysis reveals two important theoretical approach in the study of the determinants of intention to continue volunteering: the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB - jzen, 1991) and the functional approach (Clary, Snyder e Stukas, 1996). The study wants to verify if the TPB dimensions, self-efficacy and the motivational functions are significant predictors of the volunteer’s intention to continue volunteering. Participants are 120 volunteers, 60 belong to lay association and 60 belong to confessional association. The results show as the TPB dimensions and the motivational functions are significant predictors of volunteer’s intention to continue volunteering, whichever is the association type. Some differences between the two groups emerge on specific predictors. Keywords: volunteering, theory of planned behavior, functional approach