Chong Man Chow

Weight status and depression: Moderating role of fat talk between female friends

This study examined whether engagement in fat talk would moderate the association between weight status (body mass index) and depression between female friends. Individuals’ body mass index was significantly related to their own (actor effect) and friend’s (partner effect) depression. For low-fat-talk friends, higher actor’s body mass index was associated with higher actor’s depression, but not for high-fat-talk friends. For high-fat-talk friends, higher actor’s body mass index was associated with higher partner’s depression, but not for low-fat-talk friends. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Reciprocal associations between friendship attachment and relational experiences in adolescence

The current study examined the reciprocal associations between friendship attachment and relational experiences. Data came from a longitudinal study that assessed adolescents (N = 223, 108 girls) in the 6th, 8th, 10th, and 12th grades. Cross-lagged models were fitted with structural equation modeling. Results showed that attachment avoidance was consistently predictive of more friendship exclusion, and friendship exclusion was consistently predictive of more attachment anxiety. Attachment avoidance was consistently related to less friendship intimacy across adolescence. Friendship intimacy was also consistently related to lower attachment avoidance across adolescence. Attachment anxiety was consistently related to more friendship intimacy across adolescence. This study shed light on the bidirectional influences between attachment security and relational experiences in adolescent friendships.

Weight status, negative body talk, and body dissatisfaction: A dyadic analysis of male friends

This study examined the associations among weight status, body dissatisfaction, and negative body talk with a sample of young adult male friends (N = 55 pairs). Actor–Partner Interdependence Model revealed that individuals’ body dissatisfaction was positively associated with their own body mass index, but was negatively associated with their friend’s body mass index. In addition, having a friend with low body mass index escalated the association between individuals’ own body mass index and body dissatisfaction. Further, when individuals with higher body mass index engaged in higher negative body talk, they had lower body dissatisfaction compared to those who engaged in lower negative body talk.

Romantic relationships and psychological distress among adolescents: Moderating role of friendship closeness

Background: The formation of romantic relationships and friendships in adolescence is a defining milestone in the progression toward social maturity. Thus, examining adolescents’ friendship and romantic experiences serves a vital role in understanding their psychological adjustment. Aims: The main purposes of the current study were to examine (a) whether romantic involvement, romantic security, and friendship closeness were independently predictive of late adolescents’ depression and loneliness, and (b) whether friendship closeness would moderate the negative effects of adolescents’ lower degrees of romantic involvement and romantic security on depression and loneliness. Method: Data came from 12th grade adolescents (N = 110, 53 females) as well as their parents and a same-sex best friend. Adolescents reported on their romantic involvement, romantic security, and psychological distress. Parent reports of adolescents’ depressive symptoms and friend reports of friendship closeness were also included. Results: Higher degrees of romantic involvement and friendship closeness were related to lower degrees of loneliness. Higher degrees of romantic security were related to lower degrees of depression and loneliness. The effect of romantic involvement on depression and loneliness was moderated by friendship closeness. Also, the effect of romantic security on loneliness was moderated by friendship closeness. Conclusion: Future research should focus on the interactive roles that friendships and romantic relationships play in the emergence of psychopathology during adolescence.

Interactive role of weight status and fat talk on body dissatisfaction: an observation of women friends

PurposeThe current study examined the interactive role of weight status and fat talk on body dissatisfaction among women friends.MethodSixty pairs of women friends completed a measure of body dissatisfaction and engaged in an observed fat talk interaction with their friend.ResultsWomen’s weight status was related to their own, but not their friend’s, body dissatisfaction. Observed fat talk was significantly related to individuals’ own and their friend’s body dissatisfaction. A significant interaction effect showed that the association between fat talk and body dissatisfaction was minimal for women with higher weight status. In contrast, fat talk was associated with more body dissatisfaction for women with lower weight status.ConclusionThese findings suggest the importance of examining the conjoint effect of personal (e.g., weight status) and contextual (e.g., fat talk) factors on body image issues.Level of evidenceV, cross-sectional descriptive study.