Deakin University
Browse

File(s) under permanent embargo

Adolescent body image and psychosocial functioning

journal contribution
posted on 2006-02-01, 00:00 authored by Tanya Davison, M McCabe
Researchers have highlighted the significance of a poor body image in the development of dysfunctional eating but have systematically investigated few other outcomes. The authors examined the relationships between different aspects of body image and psychosocial functioning. Participants were 245 boys and 173 girls from Grades 8 and 9 (M age = 13.92 years, SD = 0.69 years). Respondents completed measures of physical attractiveness, body satisfaction, body image importance, body image behaviors, appearance comparison, social physique anxiety, self-esteem, depression, anxiety, and same-sex and opposite-sex relations. Whereas girls tended to report a more negative body image than did boys, the relevance of body image to self-esteem was similar for boys and girls. Concern about others' evaluation of their bodies was especially important in understanding low female self-esteem, whereas for boys, ratings of general attractiveness most strongly predicted self-esteem. The authors found a negative body image to be unrelated to symptoms of negative affect but to be strongly associated with poor opposite-sex peer relationships, especially among boys. A negative body image also affected same-sex relations among girls.

History

Journal

Journal of social psychology

Volume

146

Issue

1

Pagination

15 - 30

Publisher

Heldref Publications

Location

Washington, D.C.

ISSN

0022-4545

Language

eng

Publication classification

C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Copyright notice

2006, Heldref Publications

Usage metrics

    Research Publications

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC