Impact of interactive school-based media literacy lessons for reducing internalization of media ideals in young adolescent girls and boys.
OBJECTIVE
The primary objective of the current study was to examine the efficacy of single media literacy lessons in reducing media internalization in young adolescents.


METHODS
Eleven classes of 237 students (100 girls and 137 boys; mean age = 13.79 years, SD = .42) randomly received 1 of 6 lessons. Eating disorder risk factors were assessed at baseline, and the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-3 (SATAQ-3) was used to assess media internalization postintervention.


RESULTS
At postintervention, boys had significantly lower SATAQ-3 scores on 4 of the 5 subscales (effect sizes = .42-.71), whereas girls had significantly lower scores on 1 subscale (effect size = .54). Higher baseline levels of dietary restraint, magazines bought/read, and perceived sociocultural pressure predicted smaller reductions in boys' scores, whereas depression predicted smaller reductions in girls' scores.


CONCLUSIONS
The current study provides support that boys be included in eating disorder prevention programs and that media literacy may represent a promising prevention approach.
Wilksch
Simon M
SM
School of Psychology, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. simon.wilksch@flinders.edu.au
Tiggemann
Marika
M
Wade
Tracey D
TD
D000293:Adolescent; D000329:Advertising; D001828:Body Image; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D008402:Mass Media; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011594:Psychometrics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012925:Social Conformity; D012945:Social Values; D013240:Stereotyping