Weight, self-esteem, ethnicity, and depressive symptomatology during pregnancy among inner-city women

Weight, self-esteem, ethnicity, and depressive symptomatology during pregnancy among inner-city women

Cameron R P; Grabill C M; Hobfoll S E; Crowther J H; Ritter C; Lavin J

Health Psychology

1996

1996-07

The relationship of weight and self-esteem to depressive symptomatology was examined among 36 African American and 96 European American pregnant inner-city women. Lower self-esteem and higher deviations from medically ideal weight predicted increased dysphoria during the 3rd trimester for European American women, but only lower self-esteem predicted increased dysphoria for African American women. These results support the hypothesis that African Americans are less likely than European Americans to experience negative psychological repercussions of greater weight. Consistent with findings among nonpregnant middle-class samples, these results extend the association between heavier weight and increased risk for psychological distress to pregnant women of European American descent.

pregnancy; African Americans; depression; obesity; self-esteem; Psychology; weight; black-women; body-image; dysphoria; postpartum; white

Journal Article or Conference Abstract Publication

Article information provided for research and reference use only. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).

293-297

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