Assessing the Impact of a Reality TV Fashion Model Contest on Women's State Body Dissatisfaction, Affect, and Self-Esteem: An Experience Sampling Study of Women With and Without Eating Disorders

Abstract

Objective: Reality TV model contests like Germany's Next Topmodel (GNTM) remain popular worldwide, but face media criticism for potentially impacting women's body image. This experience sampling study is the first to examine GNTM's impact on body dissatisfaction, affect, and self-esteem among women with and without eating disorders (EDs). Method: Women with (n = 36) and without self-reported EDs (n = 143) watched the 18th season of GNTM in their private environment to enhance ecological validity. Questionnaires on body dissatisfaction, body-related self-ideal discrepancy, affect, and self-esteem were completed before, during, and after each episode. Statistical analysis was conducted using Bayesian multilevel modelling. Results: After watching an episode, women with self-reported EDs showed a significantly stronger increase in body dissatisfaction, self-ideal discrepancy, and negative affect compared to women without EDs (p < 0.001). Moreover, in women with EDs, the self-ideal discrepancy became significantly greater over the course of the entire season (p < 0.01). Conclusions: This study demonstrates that TV model contests may have negative psychological effects on women, particularly women with EDs. Accordingly, these shows may play a role in the aetiology and maintenance of EDs. Interventions increasing the critical distance to such content might be developed for at-risk groups.