engleski

Coping strategies as moderators in the relationship between socio-cultural pressure to be thin and psychosocial functioning of overweight/obese adolescents

Introduction: Socio-cultural pressures to be thin may have a wide range of negative effects on the well-being of adolescents, especially the obese ones. The aim of this study was to examine the role of coping strategies in the relationship between socio-cultural pressure to be thin and psychosocial functioning of overweight/obese adolescents. Methods: The research was conducted on a sample of 113 overweight and obese high school students (76 girls and 37 boys, mean age 16.1±1.3 years). Participants completed Body Image and Body Change Inventory, Depression Scale for Children and Adolescents, UCLA Loneliness Scale, Tripartite Influence Scale, and Coping Scale for Children and Adolescents. Results: Socio-cultural pressure to be thin is a significant predictor of body dissatisfaction, usage of strategies to lose weight and depression. Avoidance as a coping strategy moderates association between socio-cultural pressure to be thin and body image dissatisfaction. Cognitive restructuring moderates association between socio-cultural pressure and depression, while cognitive restructuring and emotional reactivity moderate association between socio-cultural pressure and loneliness. None of the coping strategies moderates association between socio-cultural pressure and weight loss strategies. Conclusion: This research showed that certain coping strategies moderate the relationship between socio-cultural pressure to be thin and functioning of overweight/obese adolescents. The results could be used as guidelines for designing the prevention and treatment programs focused on the quality of life of obese adolescents.

overweight and obese adolescents ; socio-cultural pressure to be thin ; psychosocial functioning ; coping strategies

This work has been fully supported by the University of Rijeka under the project number (13.04.1.3.07)