Ranking Internalized Beliefs Contributing to Body Image Dissatisfaction
Keywords:
Body image dissatisfaction, internalized beliefs, sociocultural ideals, self-worth contingency, perfectionismAbstract
Objective: This study aimed to identify and rank the internalized belief systems that contribute to body image dissatisfaction among adults through an integrated qualitative–quantitative framework.
Methods and Materials: A sequential exploratory mixed-method design was employed. In the qualitative phase, a systematic literature review of 126 scholarly sources published between 2010 and 2025 was conducted to identify belief domains related to body image dissatisfaction. Data were analyzed using NVivo 14 through open, axial, and selective coding until theoretical saturation was achieved, resulting in seven overarching belief themes. In the quantitative phase, a structured survey derived from these qualitative results was distributed to 215 participants in Malaysia, aged 18–35 years. Responses were analyzed in SPSS 26 using the Friedman ranking test to determine the relative importance of each belief domain. Reliability was confirmed with Cronbach’s alpha above 0.70, and demographic variations were explored via independent t-tests and ANOVA.
Findings: The Friedman test revealed significant differences across belief domains (χ² = 198.37, p < 0.001). The highest mean ranks were recorded for socio-cultural appearance ideals (6.45) and self-worth contingent on appearance (6.10), indicating that external cultural pressures and appearance-based self-evaluation are dominant predictors of body dissatisfaction. Perfectionistic body standards (5.72) and cognitive distortions and negative self-talk (5.21) were moderately influential, while gender and body role expectations (4.63), emotional regulation via body control (4.15), and consumerism and commercial influence (3.74) ranked lower. These results highlight a cognitive–sociocultural hierarchy of internalized beliefs shaping dissatisfaction.
Conclusion: The findings suggest that body image dissatisfaction is primarily sustained by sociocultural idealization and self-worth dependency, with perfectionistic and cognitive distortions acting as reinforcing mechanisms. Addressing these internalized beliefs through integrative psychological, educational, and media-based interventions may reduce vulnerability to body dissatisfaction.
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