Self-esteem, Self-objectification, Appearance Anxiety, Resilience, and Gender: Testing a Moderated Mediational Analysis

Appearance anxiety has been associated with difficulties in establishing social relationships and an increased vulnerability to various psychological illnesses such as eating disorders, depression, and social anxiety. However, only a few studies have examined influencing factors of appearance anxiety, especially risk and protective factors associated with appearance anxiety, which is still lacking.

This study investigated the mediating role of self-objectification in the relationship between self-esteem and appearance anxiety and the moderating role of resilience and gender.

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 437 university students (203 females and 234 males) aged 18–24 years (M_age = 21.89, SD = 1.59). The data was collected using questionnaires and analyzed through bivariate correlations, mediational analysis, and moderated mediational analysis.

Results revealed that higher self-esteem negatively predicted self-objectification and appearance anxiety, while self-objectification significantly mediated the relationship between self-esteem and appearance anxiety. Moderated analysis revealed that resilience was a significant moderator, and the direct effect of self-esteem on appearance anxiety was moderated in both men and women. Moreover, the moderated mediational analysis also suggested that higher than mean levels of resilience significantly moderated the relationship between self-esteem and appearance anxiety via self-objectification.

The study has practical and theoretical contributions to resilience, self-objectification, and appearance anxiety. It concluded that the negative effects of appearance anxiety and self-objectification on mental health may be reduced by increasing self-esteem and resilience.