THE INFLUENCE OF INTEROCEPTIVE AWARENESS ON BODY DISSATISFACTION AND THE MEDIATING ROLE OF SELF-DISGUST AND PHYSICAL APPEARANCE COMPARISONS

Abstract

Prior research has investigated the effects of interoceptive awareness and potential factors contributing to body dissatisfaction. The present study distinguishes itself from prior work by including physical appearance comparisons and self-disgust as potential mediators in the relationship between interoceptive awareness and body dissatisfaction. This study used results from the anxiety-related processes and body image disturbances (2022) survey and selected 178 female participants between 18 and 71 years with a mean age of 24 years that completed the MAIA-II questionnaire, the Physical Appearance Comparison Scale-3, the Body Attitude Test and the Self-disgust Scale. A sequential mediation between interoceptive awareness and body dissatisfaction with the mediators physical appearance comparison and self-disgust was hypothesized. The results demonstrated a negative effect of interoceptive awareness on physical appearance comparisons, self-disgust and body dissatisfaction. Moreover, physical appearance comparison was found to be linked with self-disgust and body dissatisfaction, and self-disgust was linked with body dissatisfaction. Most importantly, a sequential mediation effect of physical appearance comparisons and self-disgust on the relation between interoceptive awareness and body dissatisfaction has been found. However, including the mediators resulted in a non-significant direct effect of interoceptive awareness on body dissatisfaction. The findings of this study provide valuable new insights and implications for prospective research.