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Research paper thumbnail of Body Image and Self‐Esteem Among Adolescent Girls: Testing the Influence of Sociocultural Factors

Journal of research on …, 2005

Research paper thumbnail of Social comparisons, reflected appraisals, and mass media: The impact of pervasive beauty images on Black and White girls' self-concepts

Social Psychology Quarterly, 1999

... context. MEDIA: INTERPRETATIONS, CRITICISMS, AND EFFECTS ON INDIVIDUALS With their power to f... more ... context. MEDIA: INTERPRETATIONS, CRITICISMS, AND EFFECTS ON INDIVIDUALS With their power to frame, define, and neglect aspects of the social world, the massmedia are a principal social and cultural institution. The ...

Research paper thumbnail of Body image, perceived and actual physical abilities in normal-weight and overweight boys involved in individual and team sports

Journal of Sports Sciences, 2011

The aim of the study was to examine the relationships among body image, perception of physical ab... more The aim of the study was to examine the relationships among body image, perception of physical abilities, and motor performance in boys involved in organized individual (i.e. tennis, fencing, judo) and team (i.e. soccer, handball, volleyball) sports. Altogether, 162 children (12.6 ± 1.0 years) were categorized as normal-weight (n = 85) or overweight (n = 77). Body image was measured using Collins' Child Figure Drawings, while individuals' perceptions of strength, speed, and agility were assessed using the Perceived Physical Ability Scale. Fitness tests of the standing long jump, 20 m sprint, and 10 × 5 m shuttle-run were also administered. Overweight boys showed greater body dissatisfaction and lower actual physical abilities than normal-weight peers. Participants involved in team sports reported lower body dissatisfaction and better performances in the shuttle-run compared with those involved in individual sports. For boys participating in team sports, body dissatisfaction was a significant mediator of the effect of body mass index on perceived physical ability. Results may influence intervention efforts, suggesting that targeting personal, psychological, and physical factors may prove efficient across physical activity locations and weight groups.

Research paper thumbnail of Weight status, parent reaction, and self-concept in five-year-old girls

Pediatrics, 2001

This study examined the relationship between weight status and self-concept in a sample of presch... more This study examined the relationship between weight status and self-concept in a sample of preschool-aged girls and whether parental concern about child overweight or restriction of access to food are associated with negative self-evaluations among girls. Participants were 197 5-year-old girls and their parents. Girls' weight status (weight for height percentile) was calculated based on height and weight measurements. Girls' self-concept was assessed using an individually administered questionnaire. Parents' concern about their child's weight status and restriction of their child's access to food were assessed using a self-report questionnaire. Girls with higher weight status reported lower body esteem and lower perceived cognitive ability than did girls with lower weight status. Independent of girl's weight status, higher paternal concern about child overweight was associated with lower perceived physical ability among girls; higher maternal concern about child overweight was associated with lower perceived physical and cognitive ability among girls. Finally, higher maternal restriction of girls' access to foods was associated with lower perceived physical and cognitive ability among girls with higher weight status but not among girls with lower weight status. At least as early as age 5 years, lower self-concept is noted among girls with higher weight status. In addition, parents' concern about their child's weight status and restriction of access to food are associated with negative self-evaluations among girls. Public health programs that raise parental awareness of childhood overweight without also providing constructive and blame-free alternatives for addressing child weight problems may be detrimental to children's mental health.

Research paper thumbnail of Media and disturbed eating: An analysis of media influence and implications for prevention

The Journal of Primary Prevention, 1998

Research has linked the thinning standard of beauty portrayed in the media to increased rates of ... more Research has linked the thinning standard of beauty portrayed in the media to increased rates of weight preoccupation and eating disturbance in women. In this paper, we review and evaluate how media influence has been defined and measured in psychological research on ...

Research paper thumbnail of Weight Perception, Substance Use, and Disordered Eating Behaviors: Comparing Normal Weight and Overweight High-School Students

Journal of Youth and Adolescence

Disordered eating behaviors and substance use are two risk factors for the development of serious... more Disordered eating behaviors and substance use are two risk factors for the development of serious psychopathology and health concerns in adulthood. Despite the negative outcomes associated with these risky behaviors, few studies have examined potential associations between these risk factors as they occur during adolescence. The importance of accurate or inaccurate weight perception among adolescents has received increased interest given documented associations with nutritional beliefs and weight management strategies. This study examined the associations among the perceptions of weight and substance use with disordered eating behaviors among a diverse sample of normal weight and overweight adolescent males and females. Data came from the 2007 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). The sample consisted of 11,103 adolescents (53.4% female; 44% Caucasian, 21% African American; 13% Hispanic; age responses ranged from 12 and under to 18 and over), with 31.5% meeting criteria for being either at-risk for obesity or already obese (i.e., overweight). As hypothesized, overestimation of weight among normal weight adolescents and accurate perceptions of weight among overweight adolescents were associated with higher rates of disordered eating behaviors. In normal weight adolescents, use of all three substances (tobacco, binge drinking, and cocaine) was associated with each disordered eating behavior. In contrast, findings revealed differences for overweight adolescents between the type of substance use and disordered eating behavior. Post hoc analyses revealed that gender moderated some of these relationships among overweight individuals. Implications for the development and implementation of secondary prevention programs aimed at reducing disordered eating behaviors, substance use, and obesity risk among normal and overweight adolescents are considered.

Research paper thumbnail of Evaluating the Probability of Previously Unknown Carriage of MRSA at Hospital Admission

American Journal of Medicine, 2006

We determined the prevalence and risk profile of patients with previously unknown carriage of met... more We determined the prevalence and risk profile of patients with previously unknown carriage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) at hospital admission.We conducted a 7-month, prospective case-controlled study in adult inpatients admitted to a university hospital with endemic MRSA. Multivariate conditional logistic regression for data sets matched 1:4 was performed to identify the risk profile of newly identified MRSA carriers.Overall, 399 of 12 072 screened admissions (prevalence, 3.3%) were found colonized (n = 368, 92%) or infected (n = 31, 8%) with MRSA. In 204 cases (prevalence, 1.7%), MRSA carriage was newly identified. Without screening on admission, 49% (196/399) of MRSA carriers would have been missed. We identified nine independent risk factors for newly identified MRSA carriage at admission (adjusted odds ratio): male sex (1.9); age greater than 75 years (2.0); receipt of fluoroquinolones (2.7), cephalosporins (2.1), and carbapenems (3.2) in the last 6 months; previous hospitalization (1.9) or intravenous therapy (1.7) during the last 12 months; urinary catheter at admission (2.0); and intrahospital transfer (2.4). A risk score (range, 0-13) was calculated by adding points assigned to these variables. On the basis of analysis of 1006 patients included in the case-controlled study, the probability of MRSA carriage was 8% (28/342) in patients with a low score (≤1), 19% (92/482) in patients with an intermediate score (2-4), and 46% (84/182) in patients with a high score (≥5). The risk score had good discrimination (c-statistic, 0.73) and showed excellent calibration (P = .88).On-admission prevalence of previously unknown MRSA carriers was high. Applying the risk score to newly admitted patients with an intermediate or high probability of MRSA carriage could allow a more effective MRSA control strategy.

Research paper thumbnail of Body Image and Self‐Esteem Among Adolescent Girls: Testing the Influence of Sociocultural Factors

Journal of research on …, 2005

Research paper thumbnail of Social comparisons, reflected appraisals, and mass media: The impact of pervasive beauty images on Black and White girls' self-concepts

Social Psychology Quarterly, 1999

... context. MEDIA: INTERPRETATIONS, CRITICISMS, AND EFFECTS ON INDIVIDUALS With their power to f... more ... context. MEDIA: INTERPRETATIONS, CRITICISMS, AND EFFECTS ON INDIVIDUALS With their power to frame, define, and neglect aspects of the social world, the massmedia are a principal social and cultural institution. The ...

Research paper thumbnail of Body image, perceived and actual physical abilities in normal-weight and overweight boys involved in individual and team sports

Journal of Sports Sciences, 2011

The aim of the study was to examine the relationships among body image, perception of physical ab... more The aim of the study was to examine the relationships among body image, perception of physical abilities, and motor performance in boys involved in organized individual (i.e. tennis, fencing, judo) and team (i.e. soccer, handball, volleyball) sports. Altogether, 162 children (12.6 ± 1.0 years) were categorized as normal-weight (n = 85) or overweight (n = 77). Body image was measured using Collins' Child Figure Drawings, while individuals' perceptions of strength, speed, and agility were assessed using the Perceived Physical Ability Scale. Fitness tests of the standing long jump, 20 m sprint, and 10 × 5 m shuttle-run were also administered. Overweight boys showed greater body dissatisfaction and lower actual physical abilities than normal-weight peers. Participants involved in team sports reported lower body dissatisfaction and better performances in the shuttle-run compared with those involved in individual sports. For boys participating in team sports, body dissatisfaction was a significant mediator of the effect of body mass index on perceived physical ability. Results may influence intervention efforts, suggesting that targeting personal, psychological, and physical factors may prove efficient across physical activity locations and weight groups.

Research paper thumbnail of Weight status, parent reaction, and self-concept in five-year-old girls

Pediatrics, 2001

This study examined the relationship between weight status and self-concept in a sample of presch... more This study examined the relationship between weight status and self-concept in a sample of preschool-aged girls and whether parental concern about child overweight or restriction of access to food are associated with negative self-evaluations among girls. Participants were 197 5-year-old girls and their parents. Girls' weight status (weight for height percentile) was calculated based on height and weight measurements. Girls' self-concept was assessed using an individually administered questionnaire. Parents' concern about their child's weight status and restriction of their child's access to food were assessed using a self-report questionnaire. Girls with higher weight status reported lower body esteem and lower perceived cognitive ability than did girls with lower weight status. Independent of girl's weight status, higher paternal concern about child overweight was associated with lower perceived physical ability among girls; higher maternal concern about child overweight was associated with lower perceived physical and cognitive ability among girls. Finally, higher maternal restriction of girls' access to foods was associated with lower perceived physical and cognitive ability among girls with higher weight status but not among girls with lower weight status. At least as early as age 5 years, lower self-concept is noted among girls with higher weight status. In addition, parents' concern about their child's weight status and restriction of access to food are associated with negative self-evaluations among girls. Public health programs that raise parental awareness of childhood overweight without also providing constructive and blame-free alternatives for addressing child weight problems may be detrimental to children's mental health.

Research paper thumbnail of Media and disturbed eating: An analysis of media influence and implications for prevention

The Journal of Primary Prevention, 1998

Research has linked the thinning standard of beauty portrayed in the media to increased rates of ... more Research has linked the thinning standard of beauty portrayed in the media to increased rates of weight preoccupation and eating disturbance in women. In this paper, we review and evaluate how media influence has been defined and measured in psychological research on ...

Research paper thumbnail of Weight Perception, Substance Use, and Disordered Eating Behaviors: Comparing Normal Weight and Overweight High-School Students

Journal of Youth and Adolescence

Disordered eating behaviors and substance use are two risk factors for the development of serious... more Disordered eating behaviors and substance use are two risk factors for the development of serious psychopathology and health concerns in adulthood. Despite the negative outcomes associated with these risky behaviors, few studies have examined potential associations between these risk factors as they occur during adolescence. The importance of accurate or inaccurate weight perception among adolescents has received increased interest given documented associations with nutritional beliefs and weight management strategies. This study examined the associations among the perceptions of weight and substance use with disordered eating behaviors among a diverse sample of normal weight and overweight adolescent males and females. Data came from the 2007 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). The sample consisted of 11,103 adolescents (53.4% female; 44% Caucasian, 21% African American; 13% Hispanic; age responses ranged from 12 and under to 18 and over), with 31.5% meeting criteria for being either at-risk for obesity or already obese (i.e., overweight). As hypothesized, overestimation of weight among normal weight adolescents and accurate perceptions of weight among overweight adolescents were associated with higher rates of disordered eating behaviors. In normal weight adolescents, use of all three substances (tobacco, binge drinking, and cocaine) was associated with each disordered eating behavior. In contrast, findings revealed differences for overweight adolescents between the type of substance use and disordered eating behavior. Post hoc analyses revealed that gender moderated some of these relationships among overweight individuals. Implications for the development and implementation of secondary prevention programs aimed at reducing disordered eating behaviors, substance use, and obesity risk among normal and overweight adolescents are considered.

Research paper thumbnail of Evaluating the Probability of Previously Unknown Carriage of MRSA at Hospital Admission

American Journal of Medicine, 2006

We determined the prevalence and risk profile of patients with previously unknown carriage of met... more We determined the prevalence and risk profile of patients with previously unknown carriage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) at hospital admission.We conducted a 7-month, prospective case-controlled study in adult inpatients admitted to a university hospital with endemic MRSA. Multivariate conditional logistic regression for data sets matched 1:4 was performed to identify the risk profile of newly identified MRSA carriers.Overall, 399 of 12 072 screened admissions (prevalence, 3.3%) were found colonized (n = 368, 92%) or infected (n = 31, 8%) with MRSA. In 204 cases (prevalence, 1.7%), MRSA carriage was newly identified. Without screening on admission, 49% (196/399) of MRSA carriers would have been missed. We identified nine independent risk factors for newly identified MRSA carriage at admission (adjusted odds ratio): male sex (1.9); age greater than 75 years (2.0); receipt of fluoroquinolones (2.7), cephalosporins (2.1), and carbapenems (3.2) in the last 6 months; previous hospitalization (1.9) or intravenous therapy (1.7) during the last 12 months; urinary catheter at admission (2.0); and intrahospital transfer (2.4). A risk score (range, 0-13) was calculated by adding points assigned to these variables. On the basis of analysis of 1006 patients included in the case-controlled study, the probability of MRSA carriage was 8% (28/342) in patients with a low score (≤1), 19% (92/482) in patients with an intermediate score (2-4), and 46% (84/182) in patients with a high score (≥5). The risk score had good discrimination (c-statistic, 0.73) and showed excellent calibration (P = .88).On-admission prevalence of previously unknown MRSA carriers was high. Applying the risk score to newly admitted patients with an intermediate or high probability of MRSA carriage could allow a more effective MRSA control strategy.