Body image evaluation, investment, and affect: The role of ethnicity and acculturation in college females

Historically, the Hispanic population has been underrepresented in body image research. The small number of body image research studies including Hispanic women indicated White women have a higher level of body dissatisfaction. However, current body image research indicates White and Hispanic women indicate the same level of body dissatisfaction (Grabe & Hyde, 2006). This study examined body image in White and Hispanic women and examined the role of acculturation and within-group differences for body image in Hispanic women. To address limitations of and replicate previous studies, BMI, age, and education level were included as covariates. Furthermore, body image was viewed as a multi-dimensional concept. Following the proposal of Cash (1994a), body image was measured as three dimensions: evaluation, investment, and affect. Lastly, acculturation was measured as a bidimensional concept. A total of 465 participants, 360 White women and 105 Hispanic women, completed the Appearance Evaluation and Appearance Orientation subscales of The Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ) (Brown, et al., 1990), the Situational Inventory of Body-Image Dysphoria (SIBID) (Cash, 1994b), the Bidimensional Acculturation Scale (BAS) (Marin & Gamba, 1996), and a demographic questionnaire. Results indicated White and Hispanic women experience the same level of body dissatisfaction and time invested in their appearance. However, White and Hispanic women do differ in their experience of negative emotions related to their appearance. The results did not differ when controlling for covariates. In addition, no differences were discovered when examining acculturation and within-group differences in Hispanic women which can be attributed to the lack of diversity within the sample of Hispanic participants. These results support current research findings indicating Hispanic women experience the same level of body image concerns as White women. Furthermore, this warrants increased awareness of the need for body image prevention and treatment in Hispanic women.