Body image and depression in endometriosis: Examining self-esteem and rumination as mediators

Melissa J Pehlivan, Melissa Pehlivan, Sherman, Kerry, Kerry A Sherman, Viviana Wuthrich, Viviana M. Wuthrich, Mary Horn, Michelle Basson, Tanya Duckworth
Body image · 2022 · vol. 43 , pp. 463–473 · doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2022.10.012 · PMID:36345084 · W4308348611
article OA: closed CC0 ⤵ 16 in-corpus citations
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This study found that poor body image in endometriosis patients predicted increased depressive symptoms over time, with lower self-esteem mediating this relationship.

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Abstract

Endometriosis is a chronic systemic disease affecting 1 in 10 people assigned female at birth, that can result in appearance-based and functional bodily changes which can negatively impact body image. Empirical evidence supports the body dissatisfaction-driven hypothesis that negative body image leads to greater depressive symptoms; but potential underlying mechanisms are under-researched. This prospective study investigated the mediating role of two theoretically-derived intervening factors, self-esteem and rumination, in individuals living with endometriosis who typically report high rates of body image concerns and depressive symptoms. Initially, 996 participants completed the first online survey (T0) assessing demographic, medical and psychological factors. Of these, 451 completed surveys at 1-month (T1) and 2-months (T2) follow-up assessing self-esteem, rumination and depression. Bootstrapped analyses with full-information maximum likelihood estimation indicated that poor body image (T0) predicted greater depressive symptoms over time (T2). Self-esteem (T1), but not rumination (T1), mediated the body image-depression relationship. These results provide support for the body dissatisfaction-driven hypothesis and further identify that self-esteem is a key meditating factor. This highlights the importance of addressing self-esteem in body image focused interventions.

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Condition tags

endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Body Image Body Image Body Image Body Image Body Image Body Image Body Image Body Image Body Image Body Image Body Image Body Image Body Image Body Image Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis

Citation neighborhood

Papers in the corpus that this work cites (lower rings, blue) and that cite this one (upper rings, green). Dot size scales with the paper's in-corpus citation count — bigger dot = more influential within the endo/adeno field. Click a dot to open that paper. [ expand to 2 hops ] — adds papers reached through this work's immediate citers/citees. Heavier; up to 60 extra dots.

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Cited by (16)

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License: CC0 · commercial use OK