“Be like me”: the role of parental modeling on sons’ body dissatisfaction and disordered eating

Parents can influence sons’ body image and eating behaviors both directly (e.g., through comments) and/or indirectly (i.e., through modeling). However, available studies still lack in addressing parents’ influence on their sons. This study aimed to explore parental indirect influence by investigating the associations between mothers’ and fathers’ body dissatisfaction, disordered eating, and corresponding dimensions in their sons. Moreover, we examined the relation between mothers’ and fathers’ social anxiety symptoms, low self-esteem, and perfectionistic traits, and their sons’ body dissatisfaction and disordered eating. Group differences (sons, mothers, and fathers) in the above-mentioned variables were also investigated. A hundred and twenty-eight Italian males (Mage = 23.88 years ± 3.13, range 18–31) from various regions of Italy and their parents completed questionnaires investigating the above-mentioned variables. Analyses of Covariances were conducted, controlling for participant...