Experimental evidence that changes in mood cause changes in body dissatisfaction among undergraduate women

Previous research has found concurrent and prospective associations between negative mood and body dissatisfaction; however, only experimental research can establish causal relationships. This study utilized an experimental design to examine the influence of negative mood on body dissatisfaction. Undergraduate women were randomly assigned to an experimental or control condition. Participants in the experimental condition (n = 21) completed a negative mood induction procedure. Participants in the control condition (n = 24) completed a neutral mood procedure. All participants completed visual analog scales regarding their mood and satisfaction with weight and shape before and after each manipulation. Body dissatisfaction increased following the procedure for experimental but not control participants, suggesting that negative mood caused increased body dissatisfaction. In cultures that idealize thinness, body dissatisfaction may arise from funneling general feelings of dysphoria into more concrete and culturally meaningful negative feelings about the body.

► We examined the causal relationship between negative mood and body dissatisfaction.
► We randomly assigned participants to either a negative mood or a neutral mood induction procedure.
► Negative mood induction caused increased body dissatisfaction.
► Findings support negative mood as a causal risk factor for body dissatisfaction.