Kristen M Lee1, Lauren Arriola-Sanchez1, Julie C Lumeng2, Ashley Gearhardt3, A Janet Tomiyama4. 1. Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles (KM Lee, L Arriola-Sanchez, and AJ Tomiyama). 2. Department of Pediatrics, Medical School, and Department of Nutritional Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan (JC Lumeng), Ann Arbor, Mich. 3. Department of Psychology, University of Michigan (A Gearhardt), Ann Arbor, Mich. 4. Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles (KM Lee, L Arriola-Sanchez, and AJ Tomiyama). Electronic address: tomiyama@psych.ucla.edu.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To experimentally test weight stigma and weight stigma by association in a parent-child relationship using a large, community-based sample. METHODS: We conducted a randomized experiment on Amazon Mechanical Turk using an online survey. Participants were randomly assigned to view a picture of a parent-child dyad, for which the parent and child's gender (male vs. female) and weight status (with obesity vs. without obesity) were manipulated. Participants read identical parenting descriptions that adhered to the American Academy of Pediatrics' parenting recommendations, then rated the parent's perceived effectiveness, helpfulness, and level of caring using a parenting questionnaire based on Barnhart et al (2013). RESULTS: Participants (N = 1862; Mage = 36.8 [11.2] years) rated parents of children with obesity as less effective compared to parents of children without obesity (P = .010) and parents with obesity as less effective compared to parents without obesity (P = .033). Participants also rated parents with obesity as less helpful compared to parents without obesity (P = .021). No differences emerged in perceived caring. Parenting evaluations did not differ across daughters versus sons or mothers versus fathers. CONCLUSIONS: Parents of children with obesity may experience weight stigma by association, which could have direct consequences for the parents, the children, and the parent-child relationship.
OBJECTIVE: To experimentally test weight stigma and weight stigma by association in a parent-child relationship using a large, community-based sample. METHODS: We conducted a randomized experiment on Amazon Mechanical Turk using an online survey. Participants were randomly assigned to view a picture of a parent-child dyad, for which the parent and child's gender (male vs. female) and weight status (with obesity vs. without obesity) were manipulated. Participants read identical parenting descriptions that adhered to the American Academy of Pediatrics' parenting recommendations, then rated the parent's perceived effectiveness, helpfulness, and level of caring using a parenting questionnaire based on Barnhart et al (2013). RESULTS: Participants (N = 1862; Mage = 36.8 [11.2] years) rated parents of children with obesity as less effective compared to parents of children without obesity (P = .010) and parents with obesity as less effective compared to parents without obesity (P = .033). Participants also rated parents with obesity as less helpful compared to parents without obesity (P = .021). No differences emerged in perceived caring. Parenting evaluations did not differ across daughters versus sons or mothers versus fathers. CONCLUSIONS: Parents of children with obesity may experience weight stigma by association, which could have direct consequences for the parents, the children, and the parent-child relationship.
Authors: Angelique F Ralph; Leah Brennan; Sue Byrne; Belinda Caldwell; Jo Farmer; Laura M Hart; Gabriella A Heruc; Sarah Maguire; Milan K Piya; Julia Quin; Sarah K Trobe; Andrew Wallis; A J Williams-Tchen; Phillipa Hay Journal: J Eat Disord Date: 2022-08-18