Negative body image and eating disorder symptomatology among young women identifying with goth subculture

•Goth women have higher drive for thinness and body dissatisfaction than matched controls.•Goth women have higher dysfunctional appearance investment and lower body appreciation.•No differences in bulimia symptoms, body size discrepancy, and motivational appearance investment.

The present study compared the rates of negative body image and risk for disordered eating in young women who identify as part of goth subculture and a matched sample. Participants were 80 women who identified as part of goth subculture and a matched sample of 82 women from London, United Kingdom. Participants completed measures of self-ideal body size discrepancy, body appreciation, appearance investment, and eating disorder symptomatology. Between-group comparisons indicated that goth women reported significantly higher drive for thinness (d = 0.51), body dissatisfaction (d = 0.62), and dysfunctional appearance investment (d = 0.52), as well as lower body appreciation (d = 0.55), than the matched sample. Heightened expectations about appearance and self-presentation, alongside appearance competitiveness, may result in more negative body image and disordered eating in young women who identify with goth subculture, but further research is necessary on this under-studied youth subculture.