Latin women (Latinas) in the U.S may experience acculturative stress if ethnic group pressures regarding body ideals differ from the U.S. body... Show moreLatin women (Latinas) in the U.S may experience acculturative stress if ethnic group pressures regarding body ideals differ from the U.S. body ideal. As a population consisting of multiple countries, the distinct cultures and customs among subgroups may impact how women from heterogeneous Latino countries/cultures perceive acceptable body weight and shape, as body ideals are culturally constructed. Furthermore, an individual’s ethnic identity level may impact the way acculturative stress relates to eating pathology. This study investigated 1) acculturative stress as a mediator of the relationbetween ethnic group and eating pathology among specific Latina subgroups, and 2) ethnic identity as a moderator of the association between ethnic group and acculturative stress, acculturative stress and eating pathology, and ethnic group and eating pathology. Mexican (n=30), Puerto Rican (n=31), Cuban (n=29), and non-Hispanic, White (n=30) women living in the U.S. were recruited via Prolific Academic to complete self-report questionnaires regarding ethnic group, ethnic identity level, acculturative stress, and eating pathology. Moderated mediation analyses supported a significant indirect effect of
ethnic group on body dissatisfaction, binge eating, purging, restricting, excessive exercise, and negative attitudes towards obesity through acculturative stress, such that group differences were mediated by acculturative stress levels. Further, the association between acculturative stress and body dissatisfaction was dependent on strength of ethnic identity; there was a positive simple slope for women with low and moderate levels of ethnic identification (low b = 2.30, moderate b = 1.36, both p <0.001) but not for those with high ethnic identity (b = 0.52, p = 0.22), suggesting that a higher ethnic identification may be protective against the development of body dissatisfaction in Latinas experiencing acculturative stress. Findings support the importance of separating heterogeneous subgroups of Latinas and explicitly assessing acculturative stress. Assessment and preventive action should include addressing increased acculturative stress and the risk it may pose for Latinas endorsing eating pathology given that the combination of ethnic group, acculturative stress, and ethnic identity may pose an increased risk for Latina individuals vulnerable to eating pathology. Show less
