Mediating Role of Body Dissatisfaction in the Relationship Between Social Influence and Anorexic Tendencies Among Nigerian Female Undergraduates

Abstract

Body Dissatisfaction (BD) and anorexic tendencies represent significant psychological health concerns among young women, yet the mediating factors through which sociocultural pressures may be linked to these outcomes remain insufficiently understood, particularly in African university contexts. Grounded in the Tripartite Influence Model, which posits that peers, family, and media transmit appearance-related pressures that promote internalization of unrealistic body ideals and, consequently, body dissatisfaction and disordered eating, the present study examined whether body dissatisfaction mediate the relationship between social influence and anorexic tendencies among female undergraduates at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. A cross-sectional survey design was adopted, and 356 female undergraduates completed the Eating Disorder Inventory-3 Body Dissatisfaction subscale, the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-Revised, and the Sick-Control-One StoneFat-Food questionnaire. Results indicated that social influence was significantly associated with body dissatisfaction, and body dissatisfaction was significantly associated with anorexic tendencies.

Further analysis revealed that body dissatisfaction mediated the relationship between internalization and anorexic tendencies. However, body dissatisfaction did not significantly mediate the relationship between perceived sociocultural pressure and anorexic tendencies, although pressure revealed a strong direct effect on anorexic tendencies. The findings highlight the importance of body dysmorphic concerns as a psychological mechanism linking internalized beauty standards to disordered eating attitudes among young women. This result extends the Tripartite Influence Model to a Nigerian university context and underscore the need for culturally responsive prevention programmes targeting body image disturbances and appearance-related pressures.