Donald R. McCreary

An exploration of the drive for muscularity in adolescent boys and girls

Abstract Much of the existing research on disordered eating has centered on the drive for thinness, which is most commonly observed in girls and women. The male standard of bodily attractiveness, however, is bigger, bulkier, and more muscular. Are boys and men motivated to be big and muscular in the same way that girls and women are motivated to be thin? The authors constructed a 15-item survey and administered it to 197 adolescents. The findings showed that the drive for muscularity measure displayed good reliability; that individuals high in the drive were more likely to be boys who were trying to gain both weight and muscle mass; that the drive was related to poor self-esteem and higher levels of depression among boys, but not among girls; and that the drive for muscularity was relatively unrelated to the drive for thinness.

The childhood trauma questionnaire in a community sample: psychometric properties and normative data.

Interpretation of research on the prevalence and sequelae of childhood trauma has been hindered by the use of assessment instruments with unknown psychometric properties. Thus, we examined the psychometric properties of a new childhood trauma measure, the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). The CTQ has demonstrated strong psychometric properties in clinical samples; limited information exists on its psychometric properties in community samples. Therefore, we explored the factor structure and reliability of the CTQ in a community sample and calculated normative data. Consistent with previous literature, a 5-factor model best described the CTQ, with a hierarchical model also providing excellent fit. Additionally, the CTQ demonstrated acceptable internal consistency. Overall, our findings suggest that the CTQ is appropriate for use in a community sample.

The Attractive Female Body Weight and Female Body Dissatisfaction in 26 Countries Across 10 World Regions: Results of the International Body Project I

This study reports results from the first International Body Project (IBP-I), which surveyed 7,434 individuals in 10 major world regions about body weight ideals and body dissatisfaction. Participants completed the female Contour Drawing Figure Rating Scale (CDFRS) and self-reported their exposure to Western and local media. Results indicated there were significant cross-regional differences in the ideal female figure and body dissatisfaction, but effect sizes were small across high-socioeconomic-status (SES) sites. Within cultures, heavier bodies were preferred in low-SES sites compared to high-SES sites in Malaysia and South Africa (ds = 1.94-2.49) but not in Austria. Participant age, body mass index (BMI), and Western media exposure predicted body weight ideals. BMI and Western media exposure predicted body dissatisfaction among women. Our results show that body dissatisfaction and desire for thinness is commonplace in high-SES settings across world regions, highlighting the need for international attention to this problem.

Body image, eating disorders, and the drive for muscularity in gay and heterosexual men: the influence of media images.

SUMMARY This Internet research project examined the relationship between consumption of muscle and fitness magazines and/or various indices of pornography and body satisfaction in gay and heterosexual men. Participants (N= 101) were asked to complete body satisfaction questionnaires that addressed maladaptive eating attitudes, the drive for muscularity, and social physique anxiety. Participants also completed scales measuring self-esteem, depression, and socially desirable responding. Finally, respondents were asked about their consumption of muscle and fitness magazines and pornography. Results indicated that viewing and purchasing of muscle and fitness magazines correlated positively with levels of body dissatisfaction for both gay and heterosexual men. Pornography exposure was positively correlated with social physique anxiety for gay men. The limitations of this study and directions for future research are outlined.

Handbook of Gender Research in Psychology

Handbook of gender research in psychology. , Handbook of gender research in psychology. , کتابخانه دیجیتال جندی شاپور اهواز

Gender and ethnic differences in health beliefs and behaviors

This study explored the extent to which college men and women of various racial and ethnic groups differ in their health beliefs and behaviors. Exploratory factor analyses of survey responses from a diverse sample of 1816 undergraduate students identified 21 items in six cohesive domains: Diet; Anger and Stress; Preventive Care; Medical Compliance; Substance Use; and Beliefs about Masculinity. Analyses of variance explored group differences across these domains. Findings revealed consistent gender differences, with men engaging in riskier behaviors and holding riskier beliefs than women. Main effects for ethnicity were also observed, but only for the diet domain was a gender by ethnicity interaction found. Implications for establishing gender- and ethnicity-based health promotion and disease prevention interventions are discussed.

The Drive for Muscularity and Masculinity: Testing the Associations Among Gender-Role Traits, Behaviors, Attitudes, and Conflict

Prior qualitative research has suggested that people assume muscular men are more masculine. This assumption was tested quantitatively in 2 studies. In Study 1, men and women completed measures of gender-role traits and behaviors, whereas in Study 2, men completed measures of gender-role conflict and traditional attitudes about men. Study 1 revealed a correlation between self-rated male-typed traits and behaviors, with a need to be more muscular for both men and women. In Study 2, men with more traditional attitudes about men also wanted to be more muscular; men who wanted to be more muscular were experiencing conflict with regard to society’s expectations that they be successful, powerful, and competitive, and they reported that finding a balance between workand leisure is difficult.

Factorial validity of the short-form McGill pain questionnaire (SF-MPQ)

Although widely used, there have been few investigations of the factorial validity of the short‐form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF‐MPQ; Melzack, 1987). Confirmatory factor analysis was performed on item responses to the SF‐MPQ obtained from 188 patients with chronic back pain. Consistent with the original structure proposed by Melzack (1987), results indicated that the SF‐MPQ is best represented by a two‐factor solution. However, these findings are contrary to results obtained by Burckhardt and Bjelle (1994) who, using their Swedish version of the SF‐MPQ, obtained a three‐factor solution. Potential explanations for the disparity between the results of the two studies are explored and recommendations for continuing clinical and research applications are offered.

Development of two reliable and valid measures of stressors in policing: The operational and organizational police stress questionnaires.

This article describes the development and validation of the Operational Police Stress Questionnaire (PSQ-Op) and the Organizational Police Stress Questionnaire (PSQ-Org). In Study 1, a series of focus groups were used to elicit the most common stressors associated with policing. During this study,

Differential Reactions to Men and Women's Gender Role Transgressions: Perceptions of Social Status, Sexual Orientation, and Value Dissimilarity

This study examined the influence of gender role transgressions on perceptions of men and womens social status, homosexual orientation, and value dissimilarity. Because past research has shown that men who transgress gender role norms are punished more harshly than women, it was hypothesized that male transgressors would be perceived more negatively than female transgressors in each of these domains. Participants read vignettes of two hypothetical gender role transgressors, one described using gender role personality traits and another described using gender role behaviors. The trait-based male gender role transgressor was perceived to be lower in social status and was considered more likely to be homosexual than the female transgressor. The behavioral-based male gender role transgressor was perceived to be lower in social status, and was perceived to be more value-dissimilar than the female gender role transgressor.