Examining the Role of Body Shame in the Relationship Between Multidimensional Perfectionism and Disordered Eating Symptoms in Black College Women.

OBJECTIVE: Multidimensional perfectionism has been well-examined in the context of disordered eating and negative body image, but less is known about the mechanisms through which these relationships exist in Black women. The current study examined the mediating role of body shame in the relationship between different dimensions of perfectionism (perfectionistic concerns, perfectionistic strivings) and disordered eating symptoms, including restrictive eating, compensatory behaviors, and binge eating, in a sample of Black college women. METHOD: Participants were 97 Black women from a large, public university who completed measures of perfectionism, body shame, and disordered eating at baseline, with 70 also participating at follow-up approximately five months later. RESULTS: Path analyses revealed that body shame mediated the relationship between perfectionistic concerns and binge eating when controlling for baseline levels of perfectionistic strivings. No significant mediation was evident when restrictive eating or compensatory behaviors were the disordered eating constructs examined. DISCUSSION: These results suggest that a focus on perfectionistic concerns, including perceiving high expectations from others and body shame, should be considered when developing interventions that address binge eating in Black women.