Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of self-discrepancies about body image on emotions, physical symptoms, and eating behaviors. 453 university students were administered 4 questionnaires(body image, emotions, physical symptoms, eating behaviors). The main findings of this study are as follows. (1) In the analysis of relationship between self-discrepancies and emotions, results have not led to support of the basic hypothesis of self-discrepancy theory. (2) The correlation patterns between self-discrepancies and physical symptoms in female students were different from male students. (3) For both of male and female students, the correlations between actual:ideal(-) and diet, actual:ought(-) and diet were significant, respectively. (4) In the regression analysis for the effects of self-discrepancies on emotions, physical symptoms, and eating behaviors, for female students, depression, heart symptom, and diet were affected by actual:ideal(-) and actual:ought(-). Anxiety and digestive symptoms were affected by actual:ought(-). For male students, diet was affected by actual:ideal(-) and actual:ought(-), digestive symptom was affected by actual:ideal(+) and actual:ought(+), and heart symptom was affected by actual:ought(+) discrepancy. The implications and limitations of this study were discussed.