The Relationship between Body Image Victimization Experiences and Binge Eating Symptoms: The Mediating Role of Body Image Shame and Self-Criticism

Objective: Binge eating disorder is associated with problems in interpersonal and occupational relationships, quality of life, and sometimes weight gain. Many factors affect the formation of these disorder symptoms. The current study examined the relationship between body image victimization experiences and the severity of binge eating symptoms mediated by body image shame and self-criticism. Method: In this study, structural equation modeling was employed. Participants were 283 Iranian university students who completed a set of self-report measures of body image shame, forms of Self-Criticizing / Self-Reassuring, binge eating symptoms and body image victimization experiences. Results: The results showed that the symptoms of binge eating had a positive and significant relationship with body image shame (r = 0.51, p = 0.001), self-criticism (r = 0.51, p = 0.001), and body image victimization experiences (r = 0.56, p = 0.001). Also, body image shame (p < 0.05, ß = 10.0) and self-criticism (p < 0.05, ß = 0.12) mediated the relationship between victimization experiences and the severity of binge eating symptoms. Conclusion: Based on the results, self-criticism and shame of body image could mediate the relationship between the early body image victimization experiences in childhood and adolescence and the severity of binge eating symptoms in the Iranian sample. Therefore, researchers and clinicians can consider the effect of these factors on binge eating disorder.