BMI and social avoidance: The mediating roles of body dissatisfaction and self-esteem

This study aimed to explore the mediating roles of body dissatisfaction and self-esteem on the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and among female college students. Using a cross-sectional study design, 669 Chinese female college students completed the Body Mass Index, the Body Image States Scale, the Self-Esteem Scale, and the Social Avoidance and Distress Scale. The results showed that body dissatisfaction partially mediated the relationship between BMI and social avoidance. Additionally, body dissatisfaction and self-esteem together formed a serial mediation pathway between BMI and social avoidance. In other words, BMI shows a direct association with social avoidance among female college students, as well as indirect associations through the simple mediation of body dissatisfaction and the serial mediation of body dissatisfaction and self-esteem. Findings suggest that increased body satisfaction and self-esteem can reduce social avoidance among female college students.