THE IMPACT OF PERCEIVED DAILY RACISM AND RACIAL IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT ON BODY DISSATISFACTION AMONG ASIAN AMERICAN FEMALE COLLEGE STUDENTS

Eating disorders pose a significant health problem for a diverse group of people. However, knowledge regarding their origins and appropriate treatments has not expanded, more specifically for Asian Americans. This study aimed to increase the knowledge surrounding an essential component of disordered eating, body dissatisfaction, and potential factors in its development. Specifically, the impact of experiences of daily racism and racial identity development on body dissatisfaction among Asian American college women were examined. Using a non-experimental, quantitative survey design, this study assessed the relationship between perceived daily racism and the racial identity schema Internalization on the endorsement of body dissatisfaction associated with racially defined areas among Asian American college women. Two hypotheses were tested using a multiple regression analysis. While the hypotheses were not fully supported, there was a relationship found between experiences of racism and body dissatisfaction. While the original hypotheses were not fully supported, the data provided valuable knowledge regarding potential factors contributing to body dissatisfaction that could lead to disordered eating. Further research will need to look more closely at additional factors, including the difference in the impact of discrimination from the majority and discrimination from one’s ethnicity