[Body image dissatisfaction in the light of alexithymia and self-development]

The development of the self is an important factor in body image disorders. The child expects the parents to satisfy the narcissistic needs (mirroring, idealization, twinship needs). Disturbances in self-development can result in the person experiencing himself through the physical self, and the ability to recognize and express emotions is impaired. The body is given a prominent role, whereby changes to the body are associated with major identity changes and it also becomes a means of emotional expression. The aim of our study is to explore the possible relationship between the deficits in self-development and body image dissatisfaction and the role of alexithymic traits in this.

The sample consisted of individuals aged 18 years and older with no psychiatric history (n=131). The Self Psychology Questionnaire translated into Hungarian was used to assess self-development and narcissistic needs, the Toronto Alexithymia Scale to assess alexithymia, and the Body Attitudes Test for women and the Muscle Appearance Satisfaction Scale for men to assess body image dissatisfaction. Data analysis was performed using correlations, linear regression analysis and mediation analysis.

Regarding the whole sample the relationship between body image dissatisfaction and alexithymia was confirmed (B=0.41, p<0.001). Regarding the subsample of women, the narcissistic needs had an indirect effect on body image, which contributes to body image dissatisfaction through the mediating effect of alexithymia (B=0.51, p<0.001). Regarding the subsample of men, the dissatisfaction of the need for idealization predicted body image dissatisfaction (B=0.77, p=0.017). In their case, the mediating effect of alexithymia was not detected.

While for men the dissatisfaction of the need for idealization necessary for adequate self-development is itself a factor in body image dissatisfaction, for women inadequate self-development is associated with inadequate emotional development, which is associated with body dissatisfaction.