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First published March 2005

Self-Objectification, Risk Taking, and Self-Harm in College Women

Abstract

Objectification theory proposes that the objectification of women's bodies causes women to self-objectify, adopting an outsider's view of themselves. Engaging in a high amount of self-objectification is thought to place women at increased risk for mental health problems such as body dissatisfaction and depression. It was hypothesized that self-objectification would contribute to negative body regard and depression, which would increase participation in risk-taking and self-harmful behaviors. Structural equation modeling was used to test a model of risk for self-harm based upon objectification theory in a sample of 391 college women. Results indicate that the model provided a good fit to the data, but only the paths from self-objectification to negative body regard, negative body regard to depression, and depression to self-harm were significant. Implications of these findings for objectification theory and our understanding of self-harm in women are discussed.

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Article first published: March 2005
Issue published: March 2005

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Authors

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Jennifer J. Muehlenkamp
Jenny D. Swanson
Northern Illinois University
Amy M. Brausch
Northern Illinois University

Notes

Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Jennifer Muehlenkamp, Department of Psychology, 1425 W. Lincoln Hwy., Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115. E-mail: [email protected]

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