Maternal Rejection and Idealized Value of Appearance: Exploring the Origins of Body Dysmorphic Concerns Among Young Adults

Abstract

Body dysmorphic disorder is a clinical disorder characterized by a preoccupation with an imagined or exaggerated defect in one's appearance (American Psychological Association, 2013), causing impaired functioning. Cognitive-behavioral models of body dysmorphic disorder have been proposed, whereby social anxiety and parental rejection may be predisposing factors, whereas maladaptive cognitive biases, such as appraisals of rejection, may serve as maintenance factors. The primary aim of this study was to test the role that perceived parental rejection in childhood may play in understanding the development of body dysmorphic symptoms. Furthermore, this study examined whether idealized values of appearance act as a mediator between perceived maternal rejection and body dysmorphic symptoms. The sample comprised 239 Australian undergraduate psychology students. Social anxiety, appearance-based rejection sensitivity, maternal rejection, and idealized values of appearance uniquely predicted body dysmorphic symptoms. Furthermore, the relationship between maternal rejection and body dysmorphic symptoms was partially mediated by idealized values of appearance. Findings support cognitive-behavioral models of body dysmorphic disorder.