Factors Influencing Body Image in the Aging Process

  • Oh, Keun-Young (Fashion and Textiles Technology, Buffalo State College, State University of New York) ;
  • Damhorst, Mary Lynn (Department of Apparel, Educational Studies & Hospitality Management, Iowa State University)
  • Published : 2008.12.30

Abstract

This study examined the personal and relational factors influencing the formation of body image among older persons. Aging-rel£lted physical changes, health, marital relationship, cognitive age, and moods were personal and relationship factors explained for influence on the body image of older persons. Data were collected via a mail survey of older married couples residing in three US. metropolitan areas of Florida. A total of 94 married couples who were 60 years older participated in this study. Results indicated that aging-related physical changes, effect of physical changes on the self, self-assessed health, and evaluation of spouse's attractiveness, and perceived attractiveness (one's perception of the other spouse's appraisals of his or her attractiveness) were found to be significantly related to the body image of older men and women. For men, self-assessed health, evaluation of spouse's attractiveness, and perceived attractiveness were significantly related to body image while physical changes, effect of physical changes, and perceived attractiveness were found significant for women. The feelings of older persons about and satisfaction with their bodies and appearance were estimated by aging-related and relationship-related variables.

Keywords

References

  1. Garner, D. M. (1997). The 1997 body image survey results. Psychology Today, 30(1), pp. 30, 32, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 75-76, 84
  2. Barak, B. (1998). Inner-ages of middle-aged primelifers. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 46, 189-228 https://doi.org/10.2190/Q9X5-8R56-EU39-BEND
  3. Barak, B., & Rahtz, D. R. (1989). Cognitive age and youthfulness: Demographic and psychographic dimensions. In R. E. Kriner & G. R. Baker (Eds.), Advances in Health Care Research (pp. 47-51). Silver Springs, MD: American Association for Advances in Health Care Research
  4. Booth A., Johnson, D., & Edwards, J. N. (1983). Measuring marital instability. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 45, 387-394 https://doi.org/10.2307/351516
  5. Brown, T. A., Cash, T. F., & Mikulka, P. J. (1990). Attitudinal body-image assessment: Factor analysis of the body-self relations questionnaire. Journal of Personality Assessment, 55, 135-144 https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327752jpa5501&2_13
  6. Brown, T. A., Cash, T. F., & Noles, S. W. (1986). Perceptions of physical attractiveness among college students: Selected determinants and methodological matters. The Journal of Social Psychology, 126, 305- 316 https://doi.org/10.1080/00224545.1986.9713590
  7. Calahan, C. A. (1996). Correlations of scores on the Kansas Marital Satisfaction scale and the Quality Marriage Index. Psychological Reports, 78, 530 https://doi.org/10.2466/pr0.1996.78.2.530
  8. Cash, T. F. (1994). The multidimensional body-self relations questionnaire users' manual. Norfolk, VA: Old Dominion University
  9. Cash, T. F., & Hicks, K. L. (1990). Being fat versus thinking fat: Relationship with body image, eating behaviors, and well-being. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 14, 327-341 https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01184000
  10. Cockerham, W. C. (1991). This aging society. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall
  11. Curran, S. L., Andrykowski, M. A., & Studts, J. L. (1995). Short form of the Profile of Mood States (POMS-SF): Psychometric information. Psychological Assessment, 7, 80-83 https://doi.org/10.1037/1040-3590.7.1.80
  12. Davis, C., & Katzman, M. (1997). Charting new territory: Body esteem, weight satisfaction, depression, and self-esteem among Chinese males and females in Hong Kong. Sex Roles, 36, 449-459 https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02766683
  13. DelRosario, M. W., Brines, J. L., & Coleman, W. R. (1984). Emotional response patterns to body weight-related cues: Influence of body weight image. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 10, 369-375 https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167284103004
  14. Dewberry, C., & Ussher, J. M. (1994). Restraint and perception of body weight among British adults. The Journal of Social Psychology, 134, 609-619 https://doi.org/10.1080/00224545.1994.9922991
  15. Fallon, A. (1990). Cultural in the mirror: Sociocultural determinants of body image. In T. F. Cash & T. Pruzinsky (Eds.), Body images: Development, deviance, and change (pp. 80-109). New York: Guilford
  16. Fisher, S. (1964). Sex differences in body perception. Psychological Monographs, 78(14), 1-22
  17. Franzoi, S. L., Kessenich, J. J., & Sugrue, P. A. (1989). Gender differences in the exercise of body awareness: An experiential sampling study. Sex Roles, 21, 499-515 https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00289100
  18. Goldsmith, R. E., & Heiens, R. A. (1992). Subjective age: A test of five hypotheses. The Gerontologist, 32, 312-317 https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/32.3.312
  19. Grubb, H. J., Sellers, M. I., & Waligroski, K. (1993). Factors related to depression and eating disorders: Self-esteem, body image, and attractiveness. Psychological Reports, 72, 1003-1010 https://doi.org/10.2466/pr0.1993.72.3.1003
  20. Gupta, M. A., Schork, N. J., & Dhaliwal, J. S. (1993). Stature, drive for thinness and body dissatisfaction: A study of males and females from a non clinical sample. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 38, 59-61 https://doi.org/10.1177/070674379303800115
  21. Hennessy, C. H. (1989). Culture in the use, care, and control of the aging body. Journal of Aging Studies, 3, 39-54 https://doi.org/10.1016/0890-4065(89)90024-8
  22. Ichiyama, M. A. (1993). The reflected appraisal process in small-group interaction. Social Psychology Quarterly, 56(2), 87-99 https://doi.org/10.2307/2786999
  23. Kastenbaum, R., Derbin, V., Sabatini, P., & Artt, S. (1972). "The ages of me" toward personal and interpersonal definitions of functional aging. Aging and Human Development, 3, 197-211 https://doi.org/10.2190/TUJR-WTXK-866Q-8QU7
  24. Keyes, R. (1980). The height of your life. Boston: Little, Brown and Company
  25. Koenig, L. J., & Wasserman, E. L. (1995). Body Image and dieting failure in college men and women: Examining links between depression and eating problems. Sex Roles, 32, 225-249 https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01544790
  26. Landau, T. (1989). About faces. New York : Anchor Books
  27. Lawton, M. P., Kleban, M. H., Dean, J., Rajagopal, D., & Parmelee, P. A. (1992). The factorial generality of brief positive and negative affect measures. Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 47, 228-237 https://doi.org/10.1093/geronj/47.4.P228
  28. Loomis, R. A., & Thomas, C. D. (1991). Elderly women in nursing home and independent residence: Health, body attitudes, self-esteem and life satisfaction. Canadian Journal of Aging, 10, 224-231 https://doi.org/10.1017/S0714980800005304
  29. Maximin, A. (1989). Body image, depression, and selfesteem in an aging population. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Norfork, VA: Old Dominion University
  30. May, B. A. (1991). The interaction between ratings of self, peers; perceptions, and reflexive self-ratings. The Journal of Social Psychology, 13, 483-493
  31. Mead, G. H. (1934). Mind, self, and society: From the standpoint of a social behaviorist. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press
  32. Norton, R. (1983). Measuring marital quality: A critical look at the dependent variable. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 45, 141-151 https://doi.org/10.2307/351302
  33. Parker, S., Nichter, M., Nichter, M., Vuckovic, N., Sims, C., & Ritenbaugh, C. (1995). Body image and weight concerns among African American and White adolescent females: Differences that make a difference. Human Organization, 54, 103-113 https://doi.org/10.17730/humo.54.2.06h663745q650450
  34. Passman, V. F. (1995). Attachment, coping, and adjustment to aging in elderly women. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Long Island University
  35. Rierdan, J., & Koff, E. (1997). Weight, weight-related aspects of body image, and depression in early adolescent girls. Adolescence, 32, 615-624
  36. Roberto, K. A., & McGraw, S. (1991). Self-perceptions of older women with osteoporosis. Journal of Women and Aging, 3, 59-70
  37. Ross, M. J., Tait, R. C., Grossberg, G. T., Handal, P. J., Brandeberry, L., & Nakra, R. (1989). Age differences in body consciousness. Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 44, 23-24
  38. Schumm, W. R., Milliken, G. A., Poresky, R. H., Bollman, S. R., & Jurich, A. P. (1983). Issues in measuring marital satisfaction in survey research. International Journal of Sociology of the Family, 13, 129-143
  39. Shacham, S. (1983). A shortened version of the Profile of Mood States. Journal of Personality Assessment, 47, 305-306 https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327752jpa4703_14
  40. Sontag, S. (1979). The double standard of aging. In J. H. Williams (Eds.), Psychology of aging (pp.462-478). New York: W. W. Norton & Company
  41. Tucker, L. A. (1982). Effect of a weight-training program on the self-concepts of college males. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 54, 1055-1061 https://doi.org/10.2466/pms.1982.54.3c.1055
  42. Webb, L., Delaney, J. D., & Young, L. R. (1989). Age, interpersonal attraction and social interaction. Research on Aging, 11, 107-123 https://doi.org/10.1177/0164027589111005
  43. Wilcox, S. (1997). Age and gender in relation to body attitudes. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 21, 549-565 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-6402.1997.tb00130.x
  44. Wilkes, R. E. (1992). A structural modeling approach to the measurement and meaning of cognitive age. Journal of Consumer Research, 19, 292-301 https://doi.org/10.1086/209303