L'immagine corporea.

Summary In recent years research exploring the factors that contribute to the development of body image problems has grown substantially. Since body dissatisfaction is a risk factor for eating pathology, identifying body dissatisfaction antecedents is important for health promotion, prevention and effective treatment programs. Body mass has been described as one of the most important physical factors affecting body dissatisfaction. Much research confirmed also the influence of sociocultural factors on body dissatisfaction levels in adolescents and adults. In line with the Tripartite Influence Model (Thompson et al., 1999), several studies identify three major sources of sociocultural influence on body dissatisfaction: media, parents and peers. According to the model the relation between these sources of influence and body dissatisfaction is mediated by two psychological processes, which are internalization of the thin-ideal and engagement in social body comparisons. Internalization has been defined as the incorporation of specific values to the point that they become guiding principles, while social body comparison represents the tendency to compare one’s own body and appearance to the ones of others. Social comparison has been described as deeply related to self-esteem. Since sociocultural influences predict body dissatisfaction which in turn emerge as significant risk factor for eating disturbance, the role of self-esteem as a protective factor has been largely investigated in literature.