Indirect Effects of Parent–Child Relationship Quality and Media on Emerging Adult Body Esteem

Previous research has shown that media messages affect body image in emerging adults. Furthermore, parental body image messages and parent–child relationship quality have also been shown to affect emerging adult body image. However, little research has examined the relationships among these variables collectively. Thus, the current study examined the indirect effects of media body image messages and parent–child relationship quality on emerging adult body esteem through parental body image messages. Participants included 555 college-attending emerging adults (72.1% female) who completed online surveys assessing media messages, parental messages, parent–child relationship quality, and body esteem. Results indicated a significant indirect effect of maternal parent–child relationship quality and negative media body image messages on male and female emerging adult body esteem via negative parental body image messages. Highlights Negative media messages affected emerging adult body esteem and parental messages across genders. Parent–child relationship quality was positively associated with emerging adult body esteem. Maternal parent–child relationship quality and media indirectly affected emerging adult body esteem via parental messages. Media and parents might be useful to include when conducting body esteem interventions in emerging adults.