Sorority Members Might Be At Greater Risk of Body Dissatisfaction and Disordered Eating Behaviors
Students who are more involved in college organizations may have a greater sense of belonging and fare better when it comes to their psychological well-being. Getting involved in the Greek system is a way for many students to meet new friends and others with similar interests. The Student Affairs website at Penn State discusses the basic principles of fraternity and sorority life on campus. Some of the goals these organizations aim to promote are academic achievement, leadership skills, camaraderie, service and philanthropy, and involvement with alumni. Belonging to such an organization can expose students to many of these opportunities that will help them grow in their personal life, and also help them build a professional identity.
While these are some of the benefits of belonging to such an organization, negative implications can also arise due to social pressure within the group. Susan Basow, Kelly Foran, and Jamila Bookwala of Lafayette College took a closer look at how sorority membership is associated with different measures of body dissatisfaction and disordered eating behaviors. Their study compared women in a sorority to those not in a sorority, and to those who were currently nonmembers but planned to join in the future.
Sorority members displayed more risk factors for the development of disordered eating behaviors compared to those not in a sorority. Specifically women in sororities reported more body objectification, attitudes of disordered eating, and perceived social pressure. Furthermore, of the women not currently in a sorority, those who planned to join in the future also had elevated levels of these risk factors. The researchers suggest that women who plan to join a sorority might be similar to those who are already members in terms of their body image and eating attitudes. These women might be more prone to social pressure, the drive for thinness, and body dissatisfaction, and perhaps sororities appeal to this type of young female student.
Even more discouraging, the researchers found that the longer a sorority member lived in a sorority house, the more dissatisfied she was with her body and the higher levels of bulimic behaviors were reported. If sororities do indeed appeal to women at-risk of developing disordered eating behaviors and living in a sorority house increases the likelihood of onset of these behaviors, it is critical for intervention efforts to help these women.
Sorority houses do not exist on Penn State's campus, but sorority members still have the opportunity to live together on a dorm room floor. If sorority members or any other students on Penn State’s campus are facing any of these issues, please contact Counseling and Psychological Services.