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AN EXAMINATION OF EXPERIENCED WEIGHT STIGMA, INTERNALIZED WEIGHT BIAS, AND MALADAPTIVE EATING PATTERNS AMONG SEXUAL MINORITIES: A comparison between cis-gender, bisexual and lesbian women, bisexual and gay men, heterosexual men, and heterosexual women

dc.access.optionRestricted Campus Access Only
dc.contributor.advisorCarels, Robert A
dc.contributor.authorShonrock, Abigail M. Thorndyke
dc.contributor.departmentPsychology
dc.date.accessioned2022-02-11T17:15:04Z
dc.date.available2024-05-01T08:02:28Z
dc.date.created2022-05
dc.date.issued2022-01-28
dc.date.submittedMay 2022
dc.date.updated2022-02-08T15:32:47Z
dc.degree.departmentPsychology
dc.degree.disciplineMA-Psychology General-Theoretic
dc.degree.grantorEast Carolina University
dc.degree.levelMasters
dc.degree.nameM.A.
dc.description.abstractPrevious research demonstrates the multiple negative effects of experiencing and internalizing weight stigma, including maladaptive eating behaviors and body dissatisfaction. There is minimal research examining the effects of experienced and internalized weight stigma within the LGBTQ+ community. Of interest is the effect that experiencing and internalizing weight stigma has on disordered eating patterns in LGBTQ+ populations. Existing literature shows that LGBTQ+ individuals are more prone to maladaptive eating patterns compared to their cis-gender, heterosexual counterparts. The purpose of this project was to explore the relationship between sexual orientation, maladaptive eating behaviors, experienced weight stigma (EWS) and internalized weight bias (IWB). The current thesis examined cis-gender sexual minority males and females compared to their heterosexual counterparts on levels of disordered eating, EWS, and IWB. It further examined the extent to which experienced and internalized weight stigma predicted levels of disordered eating in the context of sexual minority populations. Sexual minority and heterosexual participants differed on BMI, age, income, education, and college enrollment. Consistent with previous research, sexual minority individuals exhibited higher levels of disordered eating than their heterosexual counterparts. Notably, heterosexual males experienced significantly less disordered eating patterns compared to heterosexual females and sexual minority males and females. Sexual minority individuals had significantly more EWS than their heterosexual counterparts. Heterosexual males demonstrated significantly lower levels of IWB than heterosexual females, and sexual minority males and females. Interestingly, gender identity and sexual orientation interacted with both IWB and EWS to predict significant differences in maladaptive eating patterns. Significant main interactions between gender identity and sexual orientation exist in disordered eating patterns and IWB. This thesis expanded on current literature regarding eating and weight constructs in LGBTQ+ populations and demonstrated that there are differences in maladaptive eating, experiences of weight stigma and internalized weight bias between heterosexual and sexual minority persons.
dc.embargo.lift2024-05-01
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdf
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10342/9755
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherEast Carolina University
dc.subjectSexual orientation
dc.subjectgender identity
dc.subjectexperienced weight stigma
dc.subjectinternalized weight stigma
dc.subjectmaladaptive eating patterns
dc.subject.lcshSexual minorities--Mental health
dc.subject.lcshSexual minorities--Health and hygiene
dc.subject.lcshBody image
dc.subject.lcshEating disorders
dc.titleAN EXAMINATION OF EXPERIENCED WEIGHT STIGMA, INTERNALIZED WEIGHT BIAS, AND MALADAPTIVE EATING PATTERNS AMONG SEXUAL MINORITIES: A comparison between cis-gender, bisexual and lesbian women, bisexual and gay men, heterosexual men, and heterosexual women
dc.typeMaster's Thesis
dc.type.materialtext

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