GENDER AND EDUCATIONAL LEVEL AS PREDICTORS OF INCIDENCE OF BODY DYSMORPHIA AMONG YOUNG ADULTS IN OWERRI

Abstract

This study investigated gender and educational level as factors predicting theincidence of body dysmorphia (BD) among young adults in Owerri. Nine hundred andnineteen (914) young adults comprising 447 males and 467 females aged 18 - 25 years with amean age of 20.77 years and standard deviation of 2.18 were sampled from Owerri, viacluster sampling and random sampling techniques. Three hypotheses guided this work anddata was collected using the Body Dysmorphia Questionnaire (BDQ). The data collected, wasanalyzed via descriptive statistics and regression analysis. The results of the present studyrevealed that gender predicted the incidence of BD among young adults. Educational levelpredicted the incidence of BD. Together, gender and educational level predicted the incidenceof BD among young adults in Owerri. Discussions were made based on the findings of thecurrent study and the literature. A critical recommendation of this work is that healthprofessionals and clinical psychologists should adopt a comprehensive and individualizedapproach to screening and treating BD, taking into account patients’ sociodemographicfactors especially gender and educational background. This includes incorporating questionsand assessments that explore how these factors influence patients’ body image perceptionsand tailoring interventions to address specific pressures and challenges faced by differentdemographic groups. Another recommendation is that counselors should offer culturallysensitive and gender-responsive counselling that acknowledges and addresses the uniquesocietal and educational pressures influencing BD. Hence, to ensure that treatment plans arerelevant and effective, the individual’s specific context and experiences should be considered.