Adaptação e avaliação do modelo teórico de influência dos três fatores de imagem corporal para jovens brasileiros

Abstract

In Brazil, as in other developed and developing countries, body image, considered complex and multidimensional construct, is studied in several research areas, especially in Psychology, Psychiatry, Nutrition and Physical Education. However, the related research still lack a proper theoretical model to support the information obtained in studies of Brazilian reality. Therefore, this research aimed to adapt and to evaluate the Tripartite Influence Model of body image (Thompson, Heinberg, Altabe, & Tantleff- Dunn, 1999) for Brazilian young adults. This quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted with a convenience sample of 2137 female and male young adults, between 21 and 35 years old, enrolled in undergraduate courses at Public and Private Institutions of Higher Education of the five Brazilian regions. Eight instruments were applied: socio-demographic data, Economic Classification Criterion Brazil, Tripartite Influence Scale, Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-3, Body Checking Questionnaire or Male Body Checking Questionnaire, Body Shape Questionnaire, Drive for Muscularity Scale and a simplified questionnaire for screening risk behaviors for eating disorders. The proposed theoretical model was tested through Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), resorting to the χ2 test and some fitting indices. The association between the study variables was assessed (Pearson correlation coefficient) and comparison tests were performed between the sexes (independent t test) and among Brazilian regions (ANOVA one-way) for the variables that compose the theoretical model. Pearson χ2 test was used to compare the frequencies observed for physical exercise, use of dietary supplements and anabolic steroids. The results showed that women had higher and significantly different scores than men for the variables: influence of parents, friends and media, body-weight dissatisfaction and disordered eating behaviors. In turn, men obtained larger scores than women on: muscularity dissatisfaction and body change behaviors. There were differences in the frequency of physical exercise practice and use of dietary supplements, which were higher in men. Among Brazilian regions statistically significant differences were identified, both for women and men, which shows peculiarities relating to aspects of body image and disordered eating behaviors of the Brazilian regions. The association analyzes identified relationship between all endogenous and exogenous variables of the x theoretical model for both sexes. The final theoretical model for women after adjustment with conceptual basis, presented proper fit (χ²(2064) = 6793,232; p = 0,0001; χ²/gl = 3,29; CFI = 0,82; PCFI = 0,79; RMSEA = 0,056 [IC90% = 0,053-0,057]). The male model after adjustments showed appropriate fit indices (χ²(2790) = 10548,421; p = 0,0001; χ²/gl = 3,78; CFI = 0,78; PCFI = 0,75; RMSEA = 0,064 [IC90% = 0,062-0,065]). It can be concluded that the theoretical model proposed for the Brazilian reality is valid and allows us to understand the development of body image disturbance and disordered eating in young adults of both sexes.