Navigating body image in Asian American communities is often complicated by direct comments and criticism from family members about one’s own appearance or weight. The purpose of the proposed study is to investigate the impact of family body criticism on internalization of the thin-ideal and eating attitudes in Asian American women. Specifically, the proposed study aimed to provide evidence for a potential mediator, perfectionism, between family body criticism and eating attitudes and also family body criticism and thin-ideal internalization. Using a correlational design, an online self-report questionnaire measuring four variables will be given to a sample of Asian American college students. It is predicted that ratings of family body criticism will be positively correlated with internalization of the thin-ideal, and negatively correlated with positive eating attitudes. It is further predicted that perfectionism will mediate the relationship between family body criticism and thin-ideal internalization, such that family body criticism will be positively related to perfectionism and perfectionism will be positively related to internalization of the thin-ideal. Lastly, it is predicted that perfectionism will mediate the relationship between family body criticism and positive eating attitudes, such that family body criticism will be positively related to perfectionism and perfectionism will be negatively related to positive eating attitudes. This research may hold significant implications for the inclusion of Asian American families in the treatment process of eating disorders and brings awareness to the heightened experiences of family body criticism for Asian Americans.

Eating disorders (EDs) cause irreversible physical damage, including organ failure and death. Although EDs receive considerable attention, the number of affected young women who seek help remains low. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the sociocultural and socioenvironmental factors influencing ED development from the perspective of young women, and to explore why the rate of EDs continues to rise in this population. The sociocultural model served as a guide for the study. Ten young women 18-24 years old from Southwest Ohio participated in in-depth, semi structured, face-to-face interviews. Data coding and analysis revealed recurring themes, with findings indicating that family relationships and social media were major factors influencing young women's perceptions of personal image and attractiveness. Participants described that social media's negative portrayal of beauty leads to internalization of the thin-ideal, leading to body dissatisfaction, with subsequent negative dieting behaviors that increase the risk for eating disorder development. Family relationships were described as the main source of positive support to neutralize these external negative forces by creating environments where these young women are accepted. A combination of media, availability of fast food, and society's portrayal of beauty, had significant influences on ED development by creating "constant internal struggles" on body image, good food choices and acceptance in society. The study impacts social change by adding new information for public health program developers and policy makers that may be used to introduce ED programs in local schools that will empower these young women to seek help without fear of stigma or alienation.

The purpose of this study was to examine what factors contribute to and result from body dissatisfaction using the theoretical framework of the Tripartite Model of Influence, which included family, peer, and media influence. Participants were recruited from SONA and student organizations and participated in an online survey (N =148). A MANCOVA indicated that Asian and White females did not differ in body dissatisfaction and other health outcomes. Thin-ideal internalization mediated the relationships between media influence, peer influence, and body dissatisfaction among Asian American females. Moderation analyses indicated that ethnic identity, Asian American identity, and acculturation did not moderate the relationship between the three tripartite influences and body dissatisfaction. Finally, a series of multiple regressions indicated that body dissatisfaction significantly predicted disordered eating, cosmetic surgery endorsement, and cigarette use among Asian Americans. Findings suggest that Asian American body dissatisfaction may be more related to Western influence than current literature shows.