Semester

Summer

Date of Graduation

2023

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Type

PhD

College

College of Applied Human Sciences

Department

Not Listed

Committee Chair

Lisa Platt

Committee Member

Jeffrey Daniels

Committee Member

Frankie Tack

Committee Member

Christine Simpson

Abstract

Disordered eating in college-age women is well-documented. Less is known about minoritized populations and disordered eating for college-age women, especially Asian American women. As Asian Americans are often subjected to the “model minority” myth, less research has been dedicated to understanding disordered eating for this population. Small, everyday slights motivated by the model minority myth and other racial stereotypes are known as microaggressions. Asian American women hold an intersectional identity that places them at risk for experiencing microaggressions from their identity as both a woman and as an Asian American. The purpose of this study was to examine relationships between gendered racial microaggressions, appearance investment, and disordered eating among female Asian American students in the US. The study results provide more information about critical factors that could be explored in further research, as well as highlighting how unique, intersectional experiences predict the development of disordered eating and body image concerns. Significant findings suggest that gendered racial microaggression experiences predict disordered eating for Asian American college women, as higher reports of gendered racial microaggressions predicted increased disordered eating levels when accounting for demographic variables. Additionally, higher levels of appearance investment also predicted increased disordered eating. This study provides evidence related to how unique experiences of gendered racial microaggressions relate to disordered eating and body image investment for this population.

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