Does functionality appreciation moderate the relationship between self-objectification and aesthetic procedures via body dysmorphic concerns in Irish adults?

The global aesthetic procedure industry has grown substantially in recent years, underscoring the need to better understand factors that may influence, and potentially buffer against, individuals' intentions to undergo aesthetic procedures. This online mixed-methods study examined whether body-related variables including dysmorphic appearance concerns, functionality appreciation and self-objectification, alongside demographic characteristics (age, gender), and previous experience of aesthetic procedures, predicted acceptance of, and intentions toward aesthetic procedures. Second, this study explored the indirect effect of self-objectification on consideration of aesthetic procedures via dysmorphic concerns, and whether this relationship was moderated by functionality appreciation. 432 participants (80% cisgender women) aged 18-69 years (M=38.56, SD=12.31), 22% with previous aesthetic procedures, in Ireland, participated. Dysmorphic appearance concerns, self-objectification and previous experience of aesthetic procedures, but not functionality appreciation, age or gender, positively predicted consideration of aesthetic procedures. Furthermore, the indirect effect of self-objectification on consideration of aesthetic procedures via body dysmorphic concerns was significant, but was not moderated by functionality appreciation. Unexpectedly, neither, age, gender or functionality appreciation influenced consideration of aesthetic procedures, indicating that self-objectification and body dysmorphic concerns, along with other facets of positive body image, may be more appropriate targets for reducing aesthetic procedure consideration in adults.