The prediction of body image satisfaction among adolescent girls

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Date
2002-04
Authors
Elliott, Deborah Patricia
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Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
English: Numerous factors contribute to the development of a distorted body Image among adolescent girls, as reflected and supported by the literature on this topic. The goal of this study was to determine any additional factors which may be influential in precipitating a distorted body image, later leading to the development of disordered eating patterns among adolescent school-girls. The following hypothesis has been formulated: Numerous factors contribute to the development of a distorted body Image among adolescent girls, as reflected and supported by the literature on this topic. Body image satisfaction among adolescent school girls in a private school setting is influenced by the following predictor variables: body maturation, age, participation in physical activity, involvement in a romantic relationship, sibling constellation, selfesteem, family influences and schooling structure (same sex versus co-educational schools). The etiology of disordered eating patterns is complex, hence it is important to study the theoretical framework, as well as the predicting factors that may contribute to a distorted body image. Teachers, medical practitioners and families could benefit from this data by understanding how various factors contribute to body image satisfaction in adolescent girls. In this research, a total of 183 adolescent private school girls participated in the study. A total of 92 of the girls were from a private same sex school in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg, while 91 of the girls were from a co-educational private school in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg. Each participant's height and weight was recorded to calculate Body Mass Index, used to classify her dimensions. To establish body image satisfaction, the subjects were asked to complete a biographical questionnaire, the body dissatisfaction sub-scale of the EDI (Eating Disorder Inventory), and the self-esteem and family relations sub-scales of the PHSF (Personal, Home, Social and Formal Relations Questionnaire). The girls in the respective schools were divided into two groups based on the acceptability or the unacceptability of their body image satisfaction, according to their Body Mass index and their scores on the Eating Disorder Inventory. The groups were then compared for biographical, self-esteem and familial factors. The data was subjected to a logistic regression analysis in order to determine which of the abovementioned factors could significantly predict the group membership of a girl (acceptability or unacceptability of body image satisfaction). The following factors were found to significantly contribute to the prediction of body image satisfaction suggesting that: • Adolescent girls in a co-educational private schooling structure were more likely to develop a distorted body image than those in a same sex private schooling structure. • Adolescent girls who display more family involvement and who are more sensitive to family influences revealed a greater body image distortion that those who exhibit less family involvement. • Adolescent girls who are dissatisfied with their bodies because of over- of underweight are more prone to use dieting as a measure to alter their body shape in order to conform to societal norms and expectations. If there is a greater awareness among teachers, medical practitioners, and families concerning the precipitating eating disorders, resources can be used more effectively to lessen or even prevent body dissatisfaction. In conclusion, the study has shown the importance of schooling structure and its influence over the prediction of body image satisfaction amongst adolescent girls. Further investigations could clarify these findings.
Afrikaans: Uit beskikbare literatuur is dit duidelik dat verskeie faktore meewerk in die ontwikkeling van 'n versteurde liggaamsbeeld by adolessente dogters. Hierdie studie het ten doelom te bepaal of enige addissioneie faktore tot die bestaande faktore ook 'n bydrae lewer tot die ontwikkeling van 'n versteurde liggaamsbeeld wat moontlik later ook tot ongesonde eetgewoontes by adolessente skoolmeisies mag lei. Die volgende navorsingshipotese is geformuleer: Ligaamsbeeldtevredenheid by adolessente metstes III 'n privaatskoolopset word beïnvloed deur die volgende voorspellerveranderlikes: liggaamsrypwording, ouderdom, deelname in fisiese oefening, betrokkenheid in romantiese verhoudinge, sibbe konstellasie, selfbeeld, gesinsverhoudinge en skoolstruktuur (enkel- en dubbelgeslag). 'n Studie van die voorspellerveranderlikes wat tot 'n versteurde liggaamsbeeld mag bydra, is van belang wanneer die kompleksiteit van die etiologie van eetversteurings oorweeg word. Ten einde die bruikbaarheid van die resultate vir onderwysers, mediese praktisyns en families te verseker, is dit noodsaaklik dat die invloed van die privaatskool struktuur op die etiologie ondersoek moet word. 'n Teoretiese raamwerk van die faktore wat 'n invloed op die liggaamsbeeld mag uitoefen, word in diepte in die studie bespreek ten einde te begryp hoedat elk 'n rol speel III die presipitering van ligaamsbeeldtevredenheid by adolessente meisies. In die navorsing word 'n totaal van 183 adolessente meisies vanuit privaatskole betrek. n' Totaal van 92 van die meisies is afkomstig uit private, enkelgeslagskole in die noordelike voorstede van Johannesburg, terwyl 91 meisies afkomstig is uit dubbelgeslagprivaatskole in dieselfde geografiese area. Elke meisie se Liggaamsmassa-indeks is bepaal as verhouding van haar lengte tot haar gekwadreerde massa en die mate van tevredenheid met hul liggaamsbeeld is met die liggaamsontevredenheid-subskaal van die eetversteuringsvraelys (EDI), sowel as met die selfagting en gesinsverhoudinge subskale van die PHSF bepaal. Die meisies van die onderskeie privaatskole is op grond van hul aanvaarbaarheid of onaanvaarbaarheid van hulle liggaamsbeeldtevredenheid in twee groepe verdeel. Die aanvaarbaarheid of onaanvaarbaaheid is vasgestel deur hul liggaamsmassaindeks en hul tellings op die eetversteuringvraelys (EDI). So is 'n respondent wat oormassa is en daarmee ontevrede is, byvoorbeeld in die aanvaarbare groep geplaas en iemand wat oormassa is en tevrede daarmee is, in die onaanvaarbare groep geplaas. Die twee groepe IS daarna vergelyk III terme van biografiese veranderlikes, selfagting en gesinsverhoudinge. Die data is hierna aan 'n logistiese regressie onderwerp ten einde vas te stel watter van die bogenoemde faktore die groeplidmaatskap van 'n respondent beduidend kon voorspel. Die volgende faktore het beduidend tot die voorspelling van liggaamsbeeldtevredenheid bygedra en suggereer dat: • Adolessente meisies in 'n dubbelgeslag-privaatskool is meer geneig om 'n versteurde liggaamsbeeld te toon as diegene in 'n enkelgeslag-privaatskool. • Adolessente meisies wat meer gesinsbetrokkenheid ervaar is meer sensitief vir gesinsinvloede en toon 'n groter mate van liggaamsbeeldversteuring as meisies wat minder gesinsbetrokkenheid ervaar. • Adolessente meisies wat met hul liggame ontevrede is omdat hulle oor- of ondermassa is, is meer geneig om 'n dieet as meganisme te benut om hul liggaamsvoorkoms te probeer verander sodat dit aan samelewingstandaarde en - verwagtinge kan voldoen. Indien daar 'n groter mate van bewustheid by onderwysers, mediese praktisyns en gesinne oor die presipiterende faktore van eetversteurings bestaan, kan hulpbronne in die voorkoming daarvan meer effektiefbenut word. Die studie het die belang van verdere ondersoek na die skoolstruktuur en die invloed daarvan op die voorspelling van liggaamsbeeldtevredenheid by adolessente meisies duidelik uitgelig.
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Keywords
Female, Adolescent, Body image, Eating disorder, Physical activity, Family, Self-esteem, Relationship, Age, Same sex school, Co-educational school, Body image in adolescence, Self-esteem in adolescence, Dissertation (M.A. (Psychology))--University of the Free State, 2002
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