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