Body Image Perception and Satisfaction of Junior High School Students: Analysis of Possible Determinants

6Citations
Citations of this article
40Readers
Mendeley users who have this article in their library.

Abstract

Body image (BI) is a multidimensional construct that refers to one’s perceptions of and attitudes toward one’s own physical characteristics. Adolescence is a critical developmental stage in which concerns about BI increase. Therefore, the present cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate body image and aesthetic body shape standards in a sample of middle school students living in China. The researchers gathered demographic information, as well as height and weight data, for their study. They used a body silhouette to assess body image perception and body shape aesthetics and calculated two indexes: BIP, which measures the accuracy of self-perception and the estimation of bodily dimensions, and BIS, which indicates the difference between an individual’s perceived and ideal body images. A total of 1585 students in three grades at two middle schools were included in the study (759 = female, mean age = 13.67 ± 0.90; 839 = male, mean age = 13.70 ± 0.90). The results showed that the BIP bias rate of middle school students was 55.7%, and the BI dissatisfaction rate was 81.0%. Females tended to overestimate their body shape and desire to be thinner compared to males. Students with a higher BMI grading were more prone to underestimating their body shape and aspiring to be thinner. Furthermore, 8.6% of students chose underweight as the ideal body type for boys, while 22.6% chose underweight as the ideal body type for girls. In conclusion, there are significant gender differences in the aesthetic standards of body shape, and adolescents believe that for women, a thin body shape is beautiful.

Cite

CITATION STYLE

APA

Song, H., Cai, Y., Cai, Q., Luo, W., Jiao, X., Jiang, T., … Liao, Y. (2023). Body Image Perception and Satisfaction of Junior High School Students: Analysis of Possible Determinants. Children, 10(6). https://doi.org/10.3390/children10061060

Register to see more suggestions

Mendeley helps you to discover research relevant for your work.

Already have an account?

Save time finding and organizing research with Mendeley

Sign up for free