RACIAL-DIFFERENCES IN PREDICTORS OF COLLEGE WOMENS BODY-IMAGE ATTITUDES

African-American and Euro-American women from three Predominantly Euro -American colleges in the southeast U.S. between 17 and 23 years of ag e completed instruments assessing body image attitudes, social compete nce, sex-role attitudes, racial identity, and a measure of family and personal characteristics. Analyses revealed race differences on all bo dy image measures with the exception of appearance evaluation which wa s influenced by family income and face. Specifically, African-American women reported more satisfaction with and positive feelings towards t heir bodies and less dissatisfaction than Euro-American women. Unlike Euro-Americans, African-American women attached importance to fitness and health. The relationship between personal/physical factors and bod y image was stronger for African-American than Euro-American women. Ad ditionally, personal/physical characteristics were the best model of a ppearance evaluation for African-American women, whereas personal/phys ical and sociodemographic factors best predicted this measure for Euro -American women. The results are discussed in relation to body image n orms and standards of the African-American subculture and middle-class , Euro-American mainstream culture.