Psychological Well-Being in Two Stigmatized Body Conditions: A Comparative Study of Obesity and Motor Disability Among Single Women

Abstract

Body-related stigma can influence psychological well-being through stereotypes, anticipated judgment, discrimination, and internalized social standards. Obesity and motor disability are visible bodily conditions but are often interpreted differently, particularly regarding perceived controllability. This study compared fear of negative evaluation, body appreciation, and quality of life among 84 single adult women, including 42 with obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²) and 42 with motor disability. Participants completed the BFNE, BAS-2, and WHOQOL-BREF. Group differences were examined using independent-samples t tests with Cohen’s d, and Pearson correlations were calculated separately. Women with obesity reported greater fear of negative evaluation (M = 49.50 vs. 36.10, d = 1.70), lower body appreciation (M = 2.35 vs. 3.55, d = 1.77), and lower psychological quality of life. Women with motor disability reported lower physical and environmental quality of life. Fear of negative evaluation correlated more strongly with body appreciation in the obesity group (r = -.75) than in the motor-disability group (r = -.42). These findings suggest distinct psychological profiles across groups. However, the cross-sectional design and absence of direct stigma measures preclude causal conclusions.