The Influence Of Self-Objectification On Restrained Eating Behaviors Among College Students:The Chain Mediating Effect Of Self-Esteem And Social Appearance Anxiety

The self-objectification is an important factor affecting the health of college students.Objectification theory argues that self-objectification is an important indicator to predict the restrained eating behaviors of individuals.Among them,body self-esteem and social appearance anxiety are closely related to self-objectification and restrained eating behaviors,and plays an important role in the psychological and behavioral states of individuals.This study explores the relationship between the following four variables: self-objectification,body self-esteem,social appearance anxiety,and restrained eating behaviors of college students.801 college students were surveyed and analyzed by using the self-objectification questionnaire SOQ,body esteem scale BES,social appearance anxiety scale SAAS and dutch eating behavior questionnaire DEBQ.The results found that:(1)The self-objectification and restrained eating behaviors of college students are generally lower than the medium level.(2)There are significant differences in the dimensions of some demographic variables,which are specifically reflected in: body self-esteem,social appearance anxiety,restrained eating behaviors differ significantly by gender;there were significant differences in body self-esteem and social appearance anxiety in the place of origin;social appearance anxiety and restrained eating behaviors varied significantly by types of institution.(3)College students’ self-objectification,body self-esteem,social appearance anxiety,and restrained eating behaviors are mutually correlated.Self-objectification had a positive predictive effect on restrained eating behaviors.(4)College students’ body self-esteem and social appearance anxiety play a chain mediating role between self-objectification and restrained eating behaviors.Body self-esteem and social appearance anxiety of men play a partial chain mediating role between self-objectification and restrained eating behavior in college students.Body self-esteem and social appearance anxiety of women play a completely chain mediating role between self-objectification and restrained eating behavior.This study confirmed the positive predictive effect of self-objectification on restrained eating behaviors of college students.It revealed the chain mediating effect of body self-esteem and social appearance anxiety on self-objectification and restrained eating behaviors,and pointed out the differences in the degree of chain mediating between male and female college students.This study has positive significance for reducing self-objectification and restrained eating behaviors of college students and promoting their overall development.