Psychoanalysis.  2022 Jul;33(3):56-62. 10.18529/psychoanal.2022.33.3.56.

The Association Between Higher Use of Projection and Negative Body Image in Korean Female Adolescents

• Choi JW
• Lee SJ
• Kim BJ
• Lee CS
• Cha B
• Lee D
• Seo J
• Lee YJ
• Lim EJ
• Kang N

• KMID: 2532255
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.18529/psychoanal.2022.33.3.56

Abstract

Objectives
Negative body image is a known risk factor for eating disorders. The authors investigated whether specific defense styles and/or defense mechanisms are associated with body image dissatisfaction of Korean adolescents.
Methods
From August to November 2015, 1610 high school students participated in this study. They completed the Korean version of the Defense Style Questionnaire, Figure Rating Scale, Hospital Anxiety-Depression Scale-Anxiety, sunlight exposure time from 10:00 to 15:00 on weekends, and reported their height and weight.
Results
A multiple linear regression analysis showed that immature defense style (β= 0.131, t=2.794, p=0.005) was significantly associated with negative body image after controlling for age, anxiety, sunlight expo-sure time on weekends (10:00 to 15:00), self-inhibiting defense style and conflict-avoiding defense style among female adolescents. Another multiple linear regression analysis showed that projection (β=0.159, t=4.030, p<0.001) was significantly associated with negative body image of female adolescents after adjusting for age, anxiety, sunlight exposure time on weekends, consumption, and omnipotence.
Conclusion
High projection was associated with negative body image among female adolescents. Decreasing projection through a psychotherapeutic approach to female adolescents may help achieve proper body image and this could prevent the development of eating disorders.

Keyword

Body image dissatisfaction; Projection; Female; Adolescents; Eating disorder