Summary: A groundbreaking study unveils a significant link between traumatic experiences during childhood and the development of symptoms of muscle dysmorphia among adolescents and young adults.
The study emphasizes how ACEs, including domestic violence and emotional abuse, can drive individuals to obsessively pursue muscularity as a coping mechanism. The results revealed that boys and young men who endured five or more ACEs were at a higher risk of exhibiting muscle dysmorphia symptoms.
This highlights the urgency of acknowledging and addressing the profound impact of childhood trauma on mental health and self-image.
Key Facts:
- Adolescents with ACEs are more prone to display symptoms of muscle dysmorphia.
- ACEs may lead to dissatisfaction with the body, particularly concerning muscularity.
- Gender is a contributing factor, with boys and young men more susceptible to developing muscle dysmorphia as a result of ACEs.
Source: University of Toronto
A new investigation reported in Clinical Social Work Journal suggests that adolescents and young adults who experienced adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) before the age of 18 were significantly more likely to exhibit signs of muscle dysmorphia.
The findings underscore the necessity for greater awareness about the correlation between adverse childhood experiences, such as domestic violence, emotional abuse, and sexual abuse, and muscle dysmorphia, which is characterized by a pathological pursuit of muscularity.
Lead author, Kyle T. Ganson, PhD, MSW, assistant professor at the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, suggests that those who undergo ACEs may pursue muscularity to counteract feeling inferior and vulnerable and as a protective measure against future victimization.
Previous research has shown that adverse childhood experiences may result in serious health repercussions. While studies have established a link between ACEs and eating disorders and body dysmorphic disorder, only a few have explored the connection between ACEs and muscle dysmorphia.
Data from over 900 adolescents and young adults in the Canadian Study of Adolescent Health Behaviors was analyzed by the study’s researchers. It was revealed that 16% of participants experiencing five or more adverse childhood experiences were at clinical risk for muscle dysmorphia, highlighting the profoundly detrimental effects of such traumatic experiences on mental health.
“Importantly, our study found that gender played a critical role in the association between adverse childhood experiences and muscle dysmorphia symptoms,” says Ganson. “Boys and young men with five or more adverse childhood experiences demonstrated significantly greater muscle dysmorphia symptoms compared to girls and young women.”
The authors suggest that boys and young men who experience ACEs may feel that their masculinity is under siege, driving their pursuit of muscularity to assert dominance, aggression, and power.
“Health care professionals should prioritize assessing symptoms of muscle dysmorphia, including physical dissatisfaction and impaired functionality stemming from exercise routines and body image, especially in boys and young men who have experienced adverse childhood experiences,” Ganson concludes.
About this body dysmorphia and childhood trauma research news
Author: Dale Duncan
Source: University of Toronto
Contact: Dale Duncan – University of Toronto
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News
Original Research: Closed access.
“Adverse Childhood Experiences and Muscle Dysmorphia Symptomatology: Findings from a Sample of Canadian Adolescents and Young Adults” by Kyle T. Ganson et al. Clinical Social Work Journal
Abstract
Adverse Childhood Experiences and Muscle Dysmorphia Symptomatology: Findings from a Sample of Canadian Adolescents and Young Adults
It remains relatively unknown whether ACEs are associated with muscle dysmorphia.
The aim of this study was to investigate the association between ACEs and muscle dysmorphia symptomatology among a sample of Canadian adolescents and young adults.
Participants who experienced five or more ACEs were at clinical risk for muscle dysmorphia (p = .018).
Experiencing ACEs, particularly five or more, was significantly associated with muscle dysmorphia symptomatology, expanding prior research on eating disorders and body dysmorphic disorder.
Social workers should consider screening for symptoms of muscle dysmorphia among adolescents and young adults who experience ACEs.
