Investigating the role of perceived ingroup and outgroup colourism on body image and wellbeing among Black, Asian, and other racialised/ethnic minority groups living in the UK

Craddock, Nadia; Gentili, Caterina; Phoenix, Aisha; White, Paul; Diedrichs, Phillippa C; Barlow, Fiona K

Abstract

Colourism is a form of prejudice and discrimination based on skin shade, disadvantaging people of colour with darker skin. This study investigates the relationship between perceived colourism, body image, and psychological wellbeing, considering perceived colourism from the ingroup (people of the same racialised group) and the outgroup (white people). A total of 516 Black, Asian, and other racialised/ethnic minority adults living in the UK (56.8 % women) completed an online survey. Using structural equation modelling, we tested a theoretically informed model: ingroup and outgroup colourism were predictors, body image and psychological distress were outcomes, and skin shade satisfaction and surveillance were hypothesised mediators. The model provided a good fit to the data. Ingroup colourism was related to lower skin shade satisfaction and higher skin shade surveillance, which in turn related to worse body image and greater psychological distress. Outgroup colourism was related to higher skin shade surveillance, which in turn was associated with worse body image. Outgroup colourism was directly associated with greater psychological distress. Results showed perceived colourism was associated with worse body image and psychological distress among people of colour in the UK. Therefore, colourism should be considered in the development of societal-, community-, and individual-level body image interventions.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 15, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Jun 24, 2023
• Publication Date: Sep 30, 2023
• Deposit Date: Sep 7, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 8, 2023
• Journal: Body Image
• Print ISSN: 1740-1445
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 46
• Pages: 246-255
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2023.06.010
• Keywords: Objectification theory, Minority stress theory, Body Image, Psychological distress, United Kingdom, Colourism
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/10941467