An Examination of the Role of Anxiety and Obsessive-Compulsive Features in Muscle Dysmorphia Symptomatology

Although Muscle Dsymorphia (MD) has received more attention in recent years, it still lacks an official classification. The current study incorporates trait anxiety and obsessive-compulsive features into an etiological model of MD in the hopes of establishing them as reliable predictors of such MD symptomatology as drive for muscularity, social physique anxiety, and negative body attitude (self). This model was based upon previous research that has linked trait anxiety and obsessive-compulsive features to eating disorders (ED). In this model, it was predicted that trait anxiety and obsessive-compulsive features would predict overall MD symptomatology, drive for muscularity, social physique anxiety, and body attitude. In all, 87 male participants from a mid-south university completed a demographics survey, the Muscle Dysmorphia Inventory, the Drive for Muscularity Scale, the Male Body Attitudes Scale, the Social Physique Anxiety Scale, an abbreviated version of the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale, and the Speilberger State/Trait Anxiety Scale. Most predictor paths were significant. The results suggest that trait anxiety and obsessive-compulsive features are significant contributors to MD. This study also suggests that future research should conduct a similar study with Anorexia Nervosa (AN) and Bulimia Nervosa (BN) in the place of MD.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Department of Psychology

Year

2007

Author dc:creator

• Chandler, Christopher

• Mental and Social Health
• Psychology

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses/967

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.wku.edu:theses-1970