Body Image and Body Shape Perception of Adolescents With Intellectual Disabilities Compared to Students Without Disabilities

Abstract

The present study examines obesity in adolescents with intellectual disabilities from the perspective of the body image and body shape perception of adolescents with intellectual disabilities and their parents. It also aims to obtain basic information that can be put to practical use in health education. The participants in the study, male adolescents with intellectual disabilities (n = 39) who were enrolled in a special needs education high school for students with intellectual disabilities, and male high school students without disabilities (n = 37) who were enrolled in a regular high school, completed a questionnaire, as did the parents of all the students. The results revealed no significant differences in body image or body shape perception between the parents of the adolescents with intellectual disabilities and the parents of the high school students without intellectual disabilities. In contrast, a significant difference was found in body image and body shape perception between the parents of obese and non-obese adolescents with intellectual disabilities. These differences should be considered when health education is being implemented in high schools and other locations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)