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      Body image and pregnancy : application of the theory of reasoned action

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      Date
      2005-03-22
      Author
      Robertson-Frey, Tanya
      Type
      Thesis
      Degree Level
      Masters
      Metadata
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      Abstract
      Past research has demonstrated that there are numerous medical and psychological consequences when a woman with an eating disorder becomes pregnant. There has been a paucity of research, however, examining the attitudes towards pregnancy of women with body image issues/eating disorders and how these attitudes subsequently affect intentions to become pregnant. The present study examines intentions to become pregnant among a sample of women ranging in level of body image concerns using the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) as a framework (Ajzen and Fishbein, 1980). Two hundred and forty-two females from an introductory psychology class completed a questionnaire, including the Eating Disorder Inventory (Garner, 1991) and specific scales targeting the components of the TRA developed for the present study. As expected, all TRA precursors to intentions were positively correlated with intentions to become pregnant, while contrary to predictions, body image was not correlated with intentions. In partial support of the TRA, a multiple regression analysis revealed that, for all participants, the subjective norm of pregnancy and perceived benefits of pregnancy were predictive of intentions to become pregnant. Perceived costs of pregnancy, however, evidenced no ability to predict intentions to become pregnant. Although results failed to support the prediction that those with high body image concerns would indicate a lower intention to become pregnant, significant differences among those with high versus low body image concerns did emerge. Specifically, participants with high body image concerns reported greater perceived costs of pregnancy as well as a greater likelihood of engaging in weight control behaviours during pregnancy. Implications, as well as practical applications of these findings are discussed.
      Degree
      Master of Arts (M.A.)
      Department
      Psychology
      Program
      Psychology
      Supervisor
      Lawson, Karen L.
      Copyright Date
      March 2005
      URI
      http://hdl.handle.net/10388/etd-03232005-135758
      Subject
      theory of reasoned action
      body image
      pregnancy
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      • Graduate Theses and Dissertations
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