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Body Dissatisfaction in Adolescent Boys and Girls: Objectified Body Consciousness, Internalization of the Media Body Ideal and Perceived Pressure from Media

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Abstract

The aim of the present study was to examine a theoretical model describing the relationships between body shame and body surveillance (components of objectified body consciousness), internalization of the media body ideal, perceived pressure from media, body mass index and body dissatisfaction in Swiss adolescent boys and girls. A sample of 819 boys and 791 girls aged 14–16 years completed self-report measures of the mentioned concepts. As expected, girls had higher body shame and body surveillance than boys. Structural equation modelling supported the proposed model in both boys and girls. The findings suggest processes that may contribute to body dissatisfaction.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by a fellowship from the Swiss National Science Foundation to Christine Knauss.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychological Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Melbourne, Australia, 3086

    Christine Knauss & Susan J. Paxton

  2. Department of Psychology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland

    Christine Knauss & Françoise D. Alsaker

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  1. Christine Knauss
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  2. Susan J. Paxton
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  3. Françoise D. Alsaker
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Correspondence to Susan J. Paxton.

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Knauss, C., Paxton, S.J. & Alsaker, F.D. Body Dissatisfaction in Adolescent Boys and Girls: Objectified Body Consciousness, Internalization of the Media Body Ideal and Perceived Pressure from Media. Sex Roles 59, 633–643 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-008-9474-7

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