Body Image Dissatisfaction and Self-Esteem: A Moderated Mediation Model

Objective: The purpose of the present research was to investigate the mediating role of anxiety in the relationship between body image dissatisfaction and self-esteem; and to test whether gender moderated the proposed mediation model. Methods: The sample participated in the study consisted of 50 adult men and women (24% men and 76% women), age from 25 to 68, attending aesthetic procedures, from November 2023 till March 2024, in one of the Ahvaz clinics. Three self-report instruments were used in this study which consisted of Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-Y) and, Littleton et al. (2005) Body Image Concern Inventory. Also, some information related to the characteristics of the respondents (gender and the level of education), were collected. Results: The results indicated that (a) body image dissatisfaction negatively associated with self-esteem, (b) state anxiety plays a mediating role between body image dissatisfaction and self-esteem, (c) state anxiety negatively predicted self-esteem, (d) body image dissatisfaction positively related to state anxiety, and (e) gender was a moderator; meaning that the path from body image dissatisfaction to self-esteem was stronger for females than for males. Conclusions: The findings have implications for improving self-esteem through body image and anxiety for men and women.