A cross-cultural study investigating body features associated with male adolescents' body dissatisfaction in Australia, China, and Malaysia.
This study investigated how dissatisfaction with particular aspects of the body was associated with overall body dissatisfaction among male adolescents in Western and Asian cultures. One hundred and six Malaysian Malays, 55 Malaysian Chinese, 195 Chinese from China, and 45 non-Asian Australians aged 12 to 19 years completed a questionnaire assessing dissatisfaction with their overall body and dissatisfaction with varying aspects of their body. Dissatisfaction with the face, height, and hair was positively correlated with overall body dissatisfaction among Malaysian Malays after body mass index, age and dissatisfaction with body areas typically included in measures (weight/shape, upper, middle, and lower body, and muscles) had been controlled for. Dissatisfaction with the face was positively correlated with overall body dissatisfaction among Malaysian Chinese. These findings demonstrate the differences in body focus for males from different cultures and the importance of using assessment measures that address all possible areas of body focus.
Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia mellor@deakin.edu.au.
David
D
Mellor
Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia.
Alice
A
Hucker
Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia.
Monique
M
Waterhouse
UCSI-University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Norul Hidayah
NH
binti Mamat
Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China.
Xiaoyan
X
Xu
UCSI-University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Jamie
J
Cochrane
Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia.
Marita
M
McCabe
Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia.
Lina
L
Ricciardelli
D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000886:Anthropometry; D001315:Australia; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002681:China; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D006801:Humans; D008296:Malaysia; D008297:Male; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012649:Self Concept; D014505:Urban Population; D055815:Young Adult
adolescent; assessment; cross-cultural; male body dissatisfaction