Body talk in women's friendships: Associations of self-report and behavioral observation with body image issues

Introduction: Women and girls who engage in more body talk, or discussion about body image and weight, suffer from more body image issues. Limited research, however, has focused on an observational method of body talk. This study compared the relative association of self-report versus laboratory-observed body talk on body image variables (body dissatisfaction, drive for thinness, cognitive distortions, and restrained eating). Method: A sample of 60 young adult women friend dyads were recruited from a local college. The hypotheses that involved dyadic data were examined with multilevel models (MLM). Body mass index (BMI) was included as a covariate. Results: Self-report body talk was significantly associated with higher body dissatisfaction, drive for thinness, and cognitive distortions, above and beyond observed body talk. Also, observed body talk was significantly associated with higher drive for thinness, cognitive distortions, and restrained eating, above and beyond self-report body talk. Discussion: Our findings underscore the importance of incorporating both self-report and observational methods when assessing body talk. This dual approach provides a more comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon and its association with various facets of body image. Understanding the dynamics of body talk and body image through both self-report and observational methods can inform interventions.