Influence of Positive Body Image Indicators on Attitudes toward Cosmetic Surgery among Thai Women

Abstract

This study investigated the impact of the positive body image indicators of body appreciation, satisfaction with life, perceived social support, and collective self-esteem on attitudes toward the acceptance of cosmetic surgery among Thai women residing in Bangkok.

A total of 201 female participants between the ages of 17 to 60 years (M=28.27 years) voluntarily filled in the study’s survey instrument which included the Acceptance of Cosmetic Surgery Scale, Body Acceptance Scale, Satisfaction with Life Scale, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and Collective Self-Esteem Scale. Multiple regression analysis indicated that the factors of body appreciation and satisfaction with life were significant predictors of acceptance of cosmetic surgery. That is, the more satisfied the participants were with their lives, and the more appreciative they were of their bodies, the less accepting they were of cosmetic surgery. Both the factors of perceived social support and collective self-esteem were not found to be significant predictors of acceptance of cosmetic surgery. Overall, the study’s findings suggest that in order for women to overcome body dissatisfaction, counselors should encourage and to educate women to focus on the protective factors of body appreciation and life satisfaction in order to increase their positive body image and by discouraging the use of the ‘cosmetic surgery’ option or other harmful strategies. Recommendations and avenues for future research were also discussed.