The Effect Of Self-esteem On Abnormal Eating Behavior:A Moderated Mediation Analysis

Objective: establish a model of self-esteem influencing abnormal eating behavior through mediation effect of actual-ideal body image discrepancy,and to test its regulating effect on the second half of actual-ideal body image discrepancymediation effect by incorporating physical activity level variables,and then to establish a moderated mediation model.Methods self-esteem scale was administered to 360 high school students and college students(SES),Dutch Diet behavior questionnaire(DEBQ),Somatotype scale(the Stunkard9-figure scale),and international physical activities questionnaire(IPAQ)short volume evaluation.Using SPSS(17.0)data analysis,Hayes(2013)Mediation effect test and moderated mediation effect test were performed by PROCESS.Result(1)The gender and grade differences of abnormal eating behavior in adolescents were significant.The abnormal eating behavior of female students was more serious than that of boys,and abnormal eating behavior of college students was more serious than that of high school students.(2)The sex difference of actual-ideal body image discrepancy in adolescent was significant,and actual-ideal body image discrepancy in female was significantly higher than that in male.The level of physical activity in male was significantly higher than that in female.(3)Adolescent self-esteem was negatively correlated with abnormal eating behavior,adolescent self-esteem was negatively correlated with actual-ideal body image discrepancy,and adolescent actual-ideal body image discrepancy was positively correlated with abnormal eating behavior.(4)Actual-ideal body image discrepancy plays a mediation role between self-esteem and abnormal eating behavior.(5)Physical activity can regulate the mediation effect of actual-ideal body image discrepancy between self-esteem and abnormal eating behavior.Conclusion: the results of this study can reveal the mechanism of self-esteem on abnormal eating behavior,study the psychological factors behind abnormal eating behavior and their relationship,and contribute to the mental health education of adolescents.