Date of Award

Summer 8-2009

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Psychology

Committee Chair

William Lyddon

Committee Chair Department

Psychology

Committee Member 2

Darlys Alford

Committee Member 3

James T. Johnson

Committee Member 4

William Wagner

Committee Member 5

Bradley Green

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate the role of attachment anxiety and avoidance in predicting persons' body image, body appreciation, and obligatory exercise behavior. Two hundred and twenty eight participants (100 men and 128 women) completed the Relationship Scales Questionnaire (RSQ; Griffin & Bartholomew, 1994), Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ; Cash, 2000), Body Appreciation Scale (BAS; Avalos et al., 2005), and Obligatory Exercise Questionnaire (OEQ; Pasman & Thompson, 1988). Results provided at least partial support for many of the hypotheses. The current study replicated results from previous research pertaining to the relationship between attachment and body image. However, the results suggest that attachment relates to body image differently in men than in women. For men, only attachment anxiety was related to body image, whereas for women body image was associated with both attachment anxiety and avoidance. Obligatory exercise was not strongly related to attachment in either men or women. Health evaluation was a very important factor in body image for men and women in relation to both attachment anxiety and avoidance.

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