Body Image Dissatisfaction and Self-esteem among Korean Pre- and Early Adolescent Girls and Boys: A Five-year Longitudinal Panel Study

Abstract

Longitudinal studies have shown mixed findings on the association between body image dissatisfaction and self-esteem among adolescents. This study examined the longitudinal, reciprocal influences between body image dissatisfaction and self-esteem among Korean pre- and early adolescents by using nationally representative longitudinal panel data from the Korean Youth Panel Study (KYPS). Analyses based on 2,230 participants indicated that girls’ body image dissatisfaction was significantly higher than boys’. The trajectory of body image dissatisfaction increased sharply during pre- and early adolescence, but stabilized afterwards for both boys and girls. Self-esteem deteriorated rapidly initially, but began to recover as adolescent girls and boys matured. Structural equation modeling showed that reciprocal influences between body image dissatisfaction and self-esteem were detected for boys. Body image dissatisfaction among girls predicted self-esteem during the entire period, while the opposite direction from self-esteem to body image dissatisfaction emerged two years later. The present study found that, during pre- and early adolescence, body image dissatisfaction and self-esteem develop in a circular fashion by forming a vicious cycle. Implications for the development of intervention and prevention programs are discussed in consideration of age and gender.