The association of adverse childhood experiences and weight stigma above and beyond parental, peer, and media influences

• Published in: Stigma and health (Washington, D.C.)
• Main Authors: Layman, Harley M., Fields Creech, Kristin, Patel, Devanshi, Keirns, Natalie G., Garza, Leslie, Tsotoros, Cindy E., Krems, Jamie A., Hawkins, Misty A. W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Educational Publishing Foundation 30-05-2024
• Subjects: Body Image; Childhood Adversity; Female; Human; Male; Parents; Peer Pressure; Self-Stigma; Social Media; Sociocultural Factors; Stigma
• DOI: 10.1037/sah0000533
• EISSN: 2376-6964
• ISSN: 2376-6972

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs: abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction) have been associated with greater experienced weight stigma (EWS) and internalized weight stigma (IWS). The current work examines whether ACEs are uniquely associated with weight stigma after adjusting for sociocultural pressures (i.e., parents, peers, and media) related to body image. Participants include 394 college students from a large southern university ( N = 394, M age = 19.6, 68.5% female, 72.1% White). Participants completed an online survey assessing ACEs, sociocultural body image pressures (i.e., tripartite influence model), weight stigma, and demographic characteristics. Hierarchical linear regressions were conducted to identify associations between ACEs or ACE subtypes and EWS and IWS after adjusting for tripartite influences on body image. Higher total ACE scores were uniquely related to higher EWS (β = 0.169, p < .001) and IWS (β = 0.131, p = .002) after adjusting for sociocultural influences. The abuse subtype and neglect subtype ACEs were most consistently related to weight stigma. This work confirms and expands upon previous work establishing a relationship between ACEs and weight stigma, unique to sociocultural body image pressures. The abuse and neglect subtypes may drive this association. This study’s findings may be used to inform interventions to deter the impact of ACEs and societal pressures on weight stigma to reduce physical and mental health consequences. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)