Gender moderation of parental comment impacts on body appreciation
Major
Neuroscience
Second Major
Psychology
Submission Type
Poster
Area of Study or Work
Psychology
Faculty Advisor
Marie Nebel-Schwalm
Location
CNS Atrium
Start Date
4-12-2025 8:30 AM
End Date
4-12-2025 9:30 AM
Abstract
Title: How Parental Comments Impact Body Appreciation: The Role of Gender Introduction: Parents play a primary role in their child’s socialization and an imperative role in body image development (Gardham et al., 2023). Negative language and commentary from parents can have detrimental effects on adolescents’ body image (Barker & Galambos, 2003), but the impact parental comments may have on young adults is rarely investigated. Research has historically focused on body dissatisfaction rather than positive body image; however, body appreciation is a major contributor to well-being, physical health behaviors and health outcomes (More et al., 2022). A recent study found comments from mothers and fathers were associated with body appreciation in young adults; however, gender was not explored as a moderator (DeMonica et al., 2025). Of the studies that examined mother and father influence, findings show mother’s have stronger effects. For example, negative maternal comments had a stronger negative effect on body esteem than negative paternal comments for both men and women (Story et al., 2022). Similarly, mothers’ behaviors had a stronger influence on daughter’s body dissatisfaction than father’s (Neumark-Sztainer, 2010). Among female college students, support from mothers was linked to lower levels of body image dissatisfaction, whereas fathers' support was not (Taniguchi, 2019). Research with males and females is needed to better understand these relationships. Given that most research fails to include men, more studies are needed with mixed-gender samples. It is not clear if the relationship of each parent with sons and daughters is similar. Research Question: Does the parent’s gender moderate the impact of parental comments on body appreciation levels for sons and daughters? Hypotheses: We predict that fathers’ comments will have a similar impact on sons’ and daughters' body appreciation levels; while mothers’ comments will have a stronger impact on daughters’ body appreciation levels than sons. Methodology: (BAS-2), (SATAQ), & (PCS). Data Analysis Plan: Hierarchical linear analyses
Gender moderation of parental comment impacts on body appreciation
CNS Atrium
Title: How Parental Comments Impact Body Appreciation: The Role of Gender Introduction: Parents play a primary role in their child’s socialization and an imperative role in body image development (Gardham et al., 2023). Negative language and commentary from parents can have detrimental effects on adolescents’ body image (Barker & Galambos, 2003), but the impact parental comments may have on young adults is rarely investigated. Research has historically focused on body dissatisfaction rather than positive body image; however, body appreciation is a major contributor to well-being, physical health behaviors and health outcomes (More et al., 2022). A recent study found comments from mothers and fathers were associated with body appreciation in young adults; however, gender was not explored as a moderator (DeMonica et al., 2025). Of the studies that examined mother and father influence, findings show mother’s have stronger effects. For example, negative maternal comments had a stronger negative effect on body esteem than negative paternal comments for both men and women (Story et al., 2022). Similarly, mothers’ behaviors had a stronger influence on daughter’s body dissatisfaction than father’s (Neumark-Sztainer, 2010). Among female college students, support from mothers was linked to lower levels of body image dissatisfaction, whereas fathers' support was not (Taniguchi, 2019). Research with males and females is needed to better understand these relationships. Given that most research fails to include men, more studies are needed with mixed-gender samples. It is not clear if the relationship of each parent with sons and daughters is similar. Research Question: Does the parent’s gender moderate the impact of parental comments on body appreciation levels for sons and daughters? Hypotheses: We predict that fathers’ comments will have a similar impact on sons’ and daughters' body appreciation levels; while mothers’ comments will have a stronger impact on daughters’ body appreciation levels than sons. Methodology: (BAS-2), (SATAQ), & (PCS). Data Analysis Plan: Hierarchical linear analyses