Abstract
In three studies we examined whether four social identity characteristics (gender, race, age, and socioeconomic status) affect perceived risk of disorder development for eating and mood relevant behaviors. Women and girls are at greater risk of developing an eating disorder than men and boys. However, because the race of Black women and girls does not fit the prototypical image of a person with an eating disorder (ED), we hypothesized ED-related behaviors would be perceived as less concerning for them. Study 1 demonstrated robust stereotypes along all four identity dimensions (gender, race, age, and socioeconomic status) for perceived ED prevalence, and weaker stereotypes for depressive and anxiety disorders. In Study 2, identical ED-related behaviors were interpreted as riskier and less healthy when performed by a female or White target, relative to a male or Black target. Identity dimensions did not affect risk judgments for mood disorder behaviors. Study 3 replicated and extended these results. These findings suggest Black women and girls are at a disadvantage in the early identification of risk factors associated with ED development. This work responds to the call for culturally sensitive research on the effects of diverse identities on detecting and addressing body image problems and eating disorders.
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All data, analysis code, and research materials are available at: https://osf.io/p63w2/?view_only=24a101788ea540c0984f113234655b68
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This research was supported by funding for the Promoting Healthy Body, Mind, and Voice Among Young Women Project from Pritzker Pucker Family Foundation awarded to Dr. Sona Dimidjian at the University of Colorado Boulder.
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All four authors designed and executed the studies. The first three authors contributed to data analyses. All authors contributed to discussions regarding the findings, and to the writing of the manuscript.
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Dr. Dimidjian reported being a co-founder of Mindful Noggin, Inc. and receiving revenue from MindfulNoggin.com, founder of Access Consulting, LLC, and receiving royalties for books related to mindfulness and behavioral activation, and funding from philanthropic foundations and the National Institute of Health.
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Erickson, M.C., Mellinger, C., Park, B. et al. Stereotypes About Who is Affected by Eating Disorders Disadvantage Risk Perception for Black Girls and Women. Sex Roles 90, 1075–1098 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-024-01496-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-024-01496-9