Abstract

This study was to explore the relationships among sociocultural attitude towards appearance, body esteem, eating attitude, depression, and suicidal ideation in a community group of Korean female high school students (N=300). The results indicate that 1) The more sociocultural attitude toward appearance female adolescents perceive and internalize, the lower body esteem they have. And those females have more symptoms of depression and suicidal ideation. Above all, they have more distorted eating attitude (especially, in terms of dieting & bulimia). 2) Body esteem partially mediates sociocultural attitude toward appearance and eating attitude. 3) Eating attitude completely mediates sociocultural attitude toward appearance and depression or suicidal ideation. 4) Depression completely mediates eating attitude and suicidal ideation. 5) Body esteem moderates the relation between eating attitude and depression or suicidal ideation. This study suggests that for the evaluation and treatment of suicidal ideation of female high school students, it is important to examine their perception and internalization of sociocultural attitude towards appearance, body esteem, and distorted eating attitude and behaviors along with their depressive symptoms. Future study is necessary to replicate the findings using male adolescents or clinical samples. (Korean J Str Res 2008;16:325∼333)

• Keywords: Suicidal ideation, Depression, Sociocultural attitude towards appearance, Body esteem, Eating attitude;