Beyond Self-Esteem: Exploring Body Investment among University Students in Pakistan

Abstract

The present study examined associations between self-esteem and two dimensions of body investment—investment in appearance and investment in body integrity—among university students in District Vehari, Punjab, Pakistan. It also investigated gender differences, academic, and associations with cumulative grade point average (CGPA). A quantitative, cross-sectional correlational design was employed with a convenience sample of 100 university students (52 men and 48 women). Data were collected using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965) and the Measure of Body Apperception, with appearance and body-integrity investment conceptualized as distinct dimensions of body-image concern (Carver et al., 1998). Pearson’s correlation, independent-samples t tests, analyses of variance, and multiple regression analyses were conducted. Self-esteem was not significantly associated with investment in appearance (r = −.12, p = .222) or investment in body integrity (r = −.15, p = .148). However, investment in appearance was positively associated with investment in body integrity (r = .39, p < .001). No statistically significant gender differences were observed in self-esteem, appearance investment, or body-integrity investment. Departmental differences were also nonsignificant across all three variables. CGPA was not significantly associated with the study variables. Overall, the findings provide preliminary evidence that self-esteem and body investment may operate as distinct constructs in this sample, while the two dimensions of body investment are positively related. The study offers initial evidence from a Pakistani university context; however, its cross-sectional design, convenience sampling, and modest sample size limit causal inference and generalizability. Future research should employ larger, more diverse samples, verified scoring procedures, and longitudinal designs to clarify these relationships.