Class Group Attachment and Negative Body Image in Chinese Junior High School Students: The Chain-Mediating Role of Self-Compassion and Peer Fear Inferiority

Ting Li,1 Yulei Chen,2 Heyong Shen3 1Counseling and Education Center, Xiamen University, Xiamen, People’s Republic of China; 2Institute of Education, Xiamen University, Xiamen, People’s Republic of China; 3School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Heyong Shen, School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China, Email [email protected]: This study aims to investigate the impact of class group attachment on negative body image among junior high school students and explore the underlying mechanisms.Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 684 Chinese junior high school students using four validated instruments: the Negative Physical Self Scale, the Class Group Attachment Scale (Middle School Version), the Peer Fear of Inferiority Scale, and the Self-Compassion Scale. A chain mediation model was employed to analyze the relationships among class group attachment, negative body image, self-compassion, and peer fear of inferiority.Results: Class group attachment anxiety and avoidance, self-compassion, peer fear of inferiority, and negative body image were significantly correlated. Class group attachment anxiety not only directly positively predicted negative body image but also had an indirect effect on negative body image through self-compassion and peer fear of inferiority. In contrast, class group attachment avoidance mainly affected negative body image indirectly through self-compassion and peer fear of inferiority.Conclusion: Class group attachment significantly impacts negative body image, with self-compassion and peer fear of inferiority serving as important mediating factors. These findings enhance the understanding of the factors influencing negative body image among adolescents and their mechanisms, providing valuable theoretical support for body image education among middle school students.Keywords: adolescent psychology, class group attachment, negative body image, self-compassion, peer fear of inferiority