Body image in a sample of young Sikh women
Date
2000
Authors
Prihar, Randip Kaur
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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to provide some information about body image in a population not previously examined, Sikh women born (or raised for most of their lives) in Canada. The participants consisted of 25 women (ranging in age from 18 to 30) that were recruited from a support group for South Asian women affiliated with a multicultural association located in Victoria, BC, as well as 35 women (also from the same age group) from the University of British Columbia located in Vancouver, BC. All of the participants completed the section of the Figure Rating Scale (FRS; Stunkard, Sorensen, & Schulsinger, 1983) consisting of female silhouettes that range in size from very thin to very heavy. The Victoria participants completed the scale two times, with a period of one year in between. Each participant indicated which figure she believed to be her current figure, which figure she believed to be her ideal figure, her age, and her weight. All of the participants also completed the Body Esteem Scale (BES; Franzoi & Shields, 1984), which consists of 32 body parts and functions that participants are asked to rate on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (having strong negative feelings) to 5 (having strong positive feelings). Thus, a higher score indicates greater esteem towards the body.
A t-test for dependent means was used to determine whether there was a significant difference between the Victoria participants' perceived current and ideal body shape ratings for the FRS in 1999. With an alpha level of .05, the difference between the means was found to be significant, t(24) = 4.00, p < .05. Thus, the Victoria participants' perceived current body shape was significantly larger than their ideal body shape in 1999. A t-test for dependent means was also used to determine whether there was a significant difference between the Victoria participants' perceived current and ideal body shape ratings for the FRS in 2000. With an alpha level of .05, the difference between the means was found to be significant, t24) = 9.45, p < .05. Thus, the Victoria participants' perceived current body shape was still significantly larger than their ideal body shape in 2000. As well, a 2-way repeated measures ANOV A was used to determine whether there were age and time trends for the Victoria participants' body shape ratings on the FRS. With an alpha level of .05, the difference among the means was not found to be significant, F(1, 23) = 2.3, p > .05. Thus, no systematic relationship was found between age group and discrepancy score, for time tested and discrepancy score, or for the combination of age group and time tested. A !-test for dependent means was also used to determine whether there was a significant difference between the Vancouver participants' perceived current and ideal body shape ratings for the FRS. With an alpha level of .05, the difference between the means was found to be significant, t(34) = 22.13, p < .05.
Thus, the Vancouver participants' perceived current body shape was significantly larger than their ideal body shape. A 2-way multivariate ANOVA was also used to determine whether there were age and city trends among all participants' body shape ratings for the FRS, and also body shape scores for the BES. The only statistically significant main effects found were due to the city factor. For the FRS, with an alpha level of .05, .F(2, 55) = 20.81, p < .05, and for the BES, with an alpha level of .05, .F(2, 55) = 6.77, p < .05. Thus, the Vancouver participants had more of a discrepancy between their current and ideal body shape ratings on the FRS and had lower (therefore more negative) scores on the BES, than did the Victoria participants.
Women with a negative body image who feel they must achieve thinness are at a greater risk for developing eating disorders, and the consequences of having eating disorders are deadly. People need to understand how and why they are being manipulated by the media's ideal of thinness. They should value larger body shapes; doing this could positively impact the psychological well-being of many Western women. Educators and other professionals need to be aware that people from all ethnic groups and socioeconomic backgrounds are vulnerable to eating disorders. Continuing to research the
construct of body image in samples from various ethnic groups could lead to the earlier diagnosis, more prompt treatment, and perhaps prevention of eating disorders, as well as decreased morbidity.