Moderating and Mediating Factors in the Relationship Between Acculturation and Eating Disorder Behaviors Among Mexican American Women
Author | : Sonya Kyrsten Bettendorf |
Publisher | : |
Total Pages | : 113 |
Release | : 2008 |
ISBN-10 | : OCLC:314107465 |
ISBN-13 | : |
Rating | : 4/5 (65 Downloads) |
Book excerpt: Research has demonstrated a link between acculturation to the mainstream society and eating disorder behaviors among Mexican American women. The current study sought to identify mediators in the relationship between acculturation to the mainstream society and eating disorder behaviors, including internalization of sociocultural pressures of thinness and body dissatisfaction, to help inform research of the processes by which this relationship occurs. In the spirit of working from a strength-based framework, the study also sought to identify unique cultural variables that served as moderators in the relationship between acculturation to the mainstream society and internalization of sociocultural pressures of thinness. The study included a sample of 209 Mexican American women from Latino cultural organizations and Latino studies programs in universities across the U.S. Path analysis was conducted to test the overall model fit as well as specific hypothesized effects. Findings suggested that the model was not a goodfit to the data. In addition, results indicated that internalization did not mediate the association between acculturation and body dissatisfaction, whereas body dissatisfaction did mediate the association between internalization and both anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Results also indicated that ethnic identity did not moderate the link between acculturation and internalization, while familism did moderate this link. Further, acculturation was not significantly related to anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa, ethnic identity was significantly related to internalization, and familism was not significantly related to internalization. Findings are discussed in the context of multicultural research and theory as it relates to Mexican American women's lived experiences.