Honors Theses
Date of Award
5-2025
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Degree Name
BS
Department
Psychology
Faculty Mentor
Erica Ahlich
Advisor(s)
Urvashi Dixit, Caitlyn Hauff
Abstract
Weight bias internalization (WBI) has been associated with poor mental health outcomes, yet there has been little research on the role of coping strategies in this relationship. This study examined whether coping strategies moderate the relationship between WBI and poor mental health outcomes, those being depression, anxiety, and stress. A total of 330 U.S. adults with a BMI 2: 30 kg/m2 were recruited through Prolific. Of the 330 participants in this sample, 57.9% were cisgender women and the mean age was 40.81 years. Participants completed the following surveys online through Qualtrics, Weight Bias Internalization Scale assessed WBI, Depression Anxiety Stress Scales- 21 Items assessed poor mental health outcome, and the maladaptive and adaptive coping subscales of the Brief COPE assessed coping strategies. Moderation analyses revealed that maladaptive coping significantly strengthened the association between WBI and depression, but not anxiety or stress. Adaptive coping did not significantly moderate any of the relationships tested. Given the finding of an interaction with maladaptive coping, interventions should target maladaptive coping techniques such as denial, substance use, behavioral disengagement, and self-blame, as a way to mitigate the effects of internalized weight bias on depression.
Recommended Citation
McDavid, Grace, "Weight Bias Internalization and Mental Health: The Moderating Role of Coping" (2025). Honors Theses. 105.
https://jagworks.southalabama.edu/honors_college_theses/105
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Comments
© 2025 Grace McDavid ALL RIGHTS RESERVED