Exploring drive for thinness as a perfectionistic strategy to escape from shame experiences

Abstract

The current study aimed at examining the role of perfectionistic self-presentation of body image to explain the drive to be thin, in a sample of 174 male and 289 female students. The correlations showed that, for both genders, perfectionistic self-presentation through body image is positively associated with internal and external shame, and with body image and eating-related symptoms. Our study confirmed that perfectionistic self-presentation of body image mediates (partially in the male and totally in female sample) the relationship between internal shame and drive for thinness. This finding suggests that the impact of shame on drive to be thin depends on the need to express to others one’s supposed perfection through the specific domain of physical appearance. These results seem to support that the need to control one´s body image may emerge as a strategy to deal with a sense of inferiority and inadequacy, in face of the need to present a perfect body image and to be accepted by others.