Predictors of eating disturbances in South Asian American females and males: A look at negative affectivity and contingencies of self-worth.

Abstract

In the present study, we looked at sex differences in negative affectivity and contingencies of self-worth as predictors of eating disturbances (viz., drive for thinness, bulimic symptoms, and body dissatisfaction) in a South Asian American sample of 97 females and 83 males. Females, compared with males, were found to report greater self-worth involving others’ approval, appearance, academic competition, and greater drive for thinness and body dissatisfaction. Results of conducting hierarchical regression analyses indicated that for females, negative affectivity accounted for significant variance in each of the three eating disturbance outcomes. Furthermore, the inclusion of contingencies of self-worth was found to account for additional unique variance in eating disturbances within this group. In contrast, regression results obtained for males generally failed to support the utility of a prediction model of eating disturbances involving negative affectivity and contingencies of self-worth. Implications of the present findings for understanding sex differences in eating disturbances in South Asian Americans are discussed.