Investigating the Impact of Shame Resilience and Internalized Weight Stigma on Body Image in Men

Internalized weight stigma occurs when individuals apply negative weight-related stereotypes to themselves, which can lead to adverse outcomes, such as psychological distress, shame, eating disorders, and body image dissatisfaction. Societal pressures emphasizing muscularity and leanness exacerbate the negative psychological effects of weight stigma among male populations. Despite growing research on weight stigma and body image, male populations remain understudied, leaving gaps in understanding their unique experiences. Amongst both female and male identifying populations, existing research displays that resilience acts as a potential protective factor against the negative impacts of shame thus mitigating psychological distress. Shame Resilience Theory (SRT) measures factors such as self-compassion, supportive relationships, and critical awareness, as factors to combat the internalized shame caused by external pressures and expectations about the male physique. Existing research suggests that shame resilience has been associated with fewer eating disorder (ED) symptoms and higher chances of ED recovery while also serving as a potential therapeutic tool for those with high levels of internalized weight stigma. Yet shame resilience’s role in buffering the relationship between internalized weight stigma and body image dissatisfaction in male-identifying populations remains underexplored. This study seeks to address this gap by examining the research question: Does shame resilience influence the relationship between internalized weight stigma and body image dissatisfaction in male-identifying populations? We hypothesize that higher shame resilience scores will inversely interact with internalized weight stigma and body image dissatisfaction scores. Using a cross-sectional correlational design, this study will assess bivariate relationships between these variables through self-report measures. Self-report measures will be analyzed through a multiple regression analysis and a moderation analysis to estimate the relationships between the variables. Findings will contribute to the development of targeted interventions aimed at improving body image satisfaction and decreasing internalized weight stigma among men.