Associations of negative, positive, and mixed body talk with self-objectification, negative affect, body appreciation, and disordered eating in Chinese young women: An ecological momentary assessment study

Body talk is prevalent and has been linked to various psychological outcomes. While negative body talk has been extensively studied in Western populations, research on positive body talk remains limited, particularly in non-Western contexts. To address these gaps, this study used ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to investigate the temporal associations of negative, positive, and mixed body talk with self-objectification, negative affect, body appreciation, and disordered eating among young Chinese women. The final analytic sample consisted of 130 female university students who provided real-time reports of their body talk experiences and momentary ratings of self-objectification, negative affect, body appreciation, and disordered eating. Data were analyzed using multilevel modeling (direct and mediation effects) across three types of body talk (negative body talk, positive body talk, and mixed body talk). Regarding direct effects, at the within-individual level, negative body talk was related to higher self-objectification, lower body appreciation, and more disordered eating behaviors; positive body talk was related to higher self-objectification, but also higher body appreciation; and mixed body talk was related to higher self-objectification. Regarding mediation effects, at the within-individual level, higher self-objectification was a mediator linking more negative-, positive-, and mixed-body talk to higher negative affect, lower body appreciation, and more disordered eating behaviors. These results highlight the critical role of self-objectification in shaping the effects of body talk. Addressing self-objectification may be particularly effective for educators, mental health professionals, and policymakers seeking to enhance young women’s mental health and eating-related outcomes.