The Role of Personality Factors and Sexual Self-schema in Body Image Dissatisfaction

Objective: the aim of this study was to investigate the role of five major personality factors and sexual self-schema in body image dissatisfaction. method: in this study, a correlational design was used and 270 individuals (male: 135, female: 135) with age of 17 to 40, citizens of tehran, who were selected by the available random sampling were included. they completed neo-pi questionnaire, fisher body image scale (fisher, 1970), and sexual self-schema scale (cyranowski & andersen, 1998). results: the results show a meaningful and positive relationship between neuroticism and body image dissatisfaction; there is also a meaningful and negative relationship between conscientiousness, openness to experience, extroversion, agreeableness and body image dissatisfaction. general sexual self-schema, the personality factors of neuroticism and agreeableness can predict 26.9 percent of body image dissatisfaction variance. conclusion: low scores in positive personality characteristics such as conscientiousness, openness to experience, extroversion and agreeableness and high scores in the neuroticism with poor sexual self-schema make the individuals vulnerable to negative messages about their body sizes and shapes that finally results in their body image dissatisfaction.