[Sex differences in body image of adolescents and significance for self esteem].
Previous findings show that the body image of adolescents is in the first place gender related. However, most studies primarily focus on body cathexis. The present study, which was conducted in the context of a multi-dimensional perspective, refers to the question of gender differences in the adolescent's body image. Furthermore, it examines what relevance the single components of the body image have for general self-esteem. Therefore, we tested 326 adolescents aged 13 to 16 using questionnaires. The results indicate that there is primarily evidence for gender differences, whereas age related differences can hardly be found: Female adolescents differ from their male counterparts for example in the following aspects: they have a higher body awareness, a higher dissatisfaction with their shape, a lower perceived athletic competence and stronger feelings of depersonalisation. However, considering the effect sizes, it becomes clear that the differences mainly come up to only a low extend. Besides, the individual body image profile is hardly suitable to determine the gender of the adolescents. Furthermore, using regression analysis it was shown that altogether the body image has the same relevance for males and females in order to predict self-esteem. Nevertheless, there are special body image components that help to predict body image for boys and girls differently. The results show that the body image of adolescents is gender-depending but not gender specific. So demand arises for investigating the determinants of the development of the adolescent's body image that go beyond the gender-variable.
Roth
Marcus
M
Universität Leipzig, Institut für Entwicklungspsychologie, Persönlichkeitspsychologie und Psychodiagnostik, Seeburgstrasse 14/20, 04103 Leipzig. mroth@rz.uni-leipzig.de
D000293:Adolescent; D001364:Awareness; D001828:Body Image; D003861:Depersonalization / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D012649:Self Concept