Body image disturbance in relation to self-perceptions of physical attractiveness, social competence, and need for approval in college women.

The present study examined the relationship between need for approval, social competence, and eating-related attitudes and behaviors. The relationship between physical attractiveness, social competence, and popularity was also explored. Fifty-five female undergraduate students, aged 18 to 25, completed the self-rated attractiveness and popularity measures twice, to determine their two week test-retest reliabilities. Both measures demonstrated adequate stability over time. In the second phase of the study, one hundred and seventy-four female undergraduate students of the same age completed the Eating Attitudes Test, the Marlowe-Crowne Scale, a self-rated physical attractiveness measure, a self-rated popularity measure, and the Texas Social Behavior Inventory. Abnormal eating-related attitudes and behaviors were detected in 13.8% of the sample. Social competence predicted a statistically significant proportion of the variance of both self-rated popularity And eating-related attitudes and behaviors. It would appear that social competence is an important factor in achieving satisfying adult relationships. The relationship between social competence and eating-related pathology, though significant, was somewhat weak. Further research is needed to more fully examine the relationship between these two constructs. Future studies may do well to examine specific aspects and desired levels of social competence, and to explore whether or not this construct may be situational in nature in its relationship to eating disorders. Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 62-10, Section: B, page: 4798. Adviser: Frank Auld. Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 2000