Disordered eating, adherence to the superwoman ideal, and gender socialization in coeducational and single -sex school environments.
Item
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Title
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Disordered eating, adherence to the superwoman ideal, and gender socialization in coeducational and single -sex school environments.
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Identifier
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AAI3083692
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identifier
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3083692
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Creator
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Mensinger, Janell Lynn.
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Contributor
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Adviser: Setha Low
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Date
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2003
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Psychology, Social | Psychology, Clinical | Education, Educational Psychology
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Abstract
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According to Bronfenbrenner's bioecological paradigm, human development occurs as an ongoing process between the biologically determined yet malleable individuals and their immediate social contexts. Contexts are embedded in systematically larger social structures exerting forces that interact reciprocally with the individuals behaving within them. Using this theoretical framework, the gendered social climates of 11 schools are examined as potential predictors of disordered eating patterns among 866 female students. The School Gender Socialization Scale (SGSS) is adopted to quantify dominant social norms experienced by female students with respect to the fulfillment of a variety of gender related roles. Six underlying dimensions of the SGSS are combined to create an index of the female students' perceived level of conflicting gender role prescriptions within their school's social environment. This research posits that a school where unusually high standards are felt with respect to appearance, dating, academics, and traditional as well as nontraditional female behaviors---all taking place within a climate that is replete with gender prejudiced stereotypes, is most likely to evidence eating problems among its female students. In order to accommodate the nested structure of the data, Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) is the method of analysis employed. Conflicting gender role norms at a school are modeled as a predictor of the extent to which female students report engaging in disordered eating. Results suggest that schools encouraging conflicting gender role norms are associated with greater eating problems among the female students. A multilevel mediation mechanism is proposed whereby the pathway through which school gender norms impact eating problems is explained by an individual's tendency to adhere to the Superwoman ideal. Several decades of research suggests that adolescents who idealize Western culture's notion of the Superwoman---characterized by her unyielding autonomy, incredibly high standards for achievement, and an ultra-thin body, are at greater risk for an eating disorder. The mediation mechanism is supported; schools rated higher on conflicting gender role norms lead to greater numbers of students adhering to Western culture's Superwoman ideal. In turn, adolescents idealizing the Superwoman are more likely to struggle with disordered eating. Implications regarding eating disorder prevention efforts in school systems are discussed.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
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degree
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Ph.D.
