BODY IMAGE DISSATISFACTION AND SOCIOCULTURAL INFLUENCES

AMONG ADOLESCENTS IN SUBANG JAYA, SELANGOR

Shobhna P. & Rosnah S.

Body image concerns every stage of life

Preoccupation > prevalent in adolescence

Concern over the adverse effect on health is more serious in this stage as adolescents are more vulnerable to influences, more keen to rebel and are in search of their identity (Tger Bogt 2006; Bell et al. 2007).

General Objective

 To determine socio-cultural factors (peer, parents and media) influences on body image dissatisfaction (AE and BASS) among adolescents.

 

The sociocultural influences that was studied in this research were media, parental and peer influences as these factors have been identified as the most important influencing factors in adolescents’ body image perception.

Sociocultural Influences

Media Influences

Peer Influences

Parental Influences

AgeGenderRaceFather’s EducationMother’s Education

Socio-demographic

Factors

Body Image Dissatisfaction

Appearance Evaluation

(AE)

Body Area Satisfaction Scale (BASS)

Sociocultural Influences

Media Influences

Peer Influences

Parental InfluencesAge

GenderRaceFather’s EducationMother’s EducationHousehold Income

Socio-demographic

Factors

Body Image Dissatisfaction

Appearance Evaluation

(AE)

Body Area Satisfaction Scale (BASS)

Measures the feelings of physical attractiveness or unattractiveness; satisfaction or dissatisfaction with one’s looks or appearance.

taps satisfaction or dissatisfaction with discrete aspects of one’s appearance such as height, face, weight and hair.

Study Design - Cross Sectional Design

Study Location - 9 national secondary schools in Subang Jaya

Sample population – students aged between 15 and 17 years old.

Sampling method – Simple random sampling

2 subscales of the MBSRQ-AS was used to indicate body image dissatisfaction among adolescents.

Appearance Evaluation (AE) - measures the feelings of physical attractiveness or unattractiveness; satisfaction or dissatisfaction with one’s looks.

Body Area Satisfaction Scale (BASS) - taps satisfaction or dissatisfaction with discrete aspects of one’s appearance such as height, face, weight and hair.

The main reference - Tripartite Influence Model (Keery et al 2004).

This model includes three main subscale that influence body image dissatisfaction; the media, peer and parents influence (Shroff and Thompson, 2004).

N Mean ± Standard Deviation

P

SexMaleFemale

180201

3.56 ± 0.673.31 ± 0.66

< 0.001

EthnicityMalay IndianChineseOthers

11663

1984

3.49 ± 0.633.57 ± 0.723.36 ± 0.683.42 ± 0.62

0.110

Father’s Education Lower than Secondary Secondary College / University

11116254

3.08 ± 0.613.38 ± 0.713.47 ± 0.66

0.102

Mother’s Education Lower than Secondary Secondary College / University

15165201

2.87 ± 0.923.39 ± 0.633.50 ± 0.67

0.003*

n Mean ± Standard Deviation

P

SexMaleFemale

180201

3.39 ± 0.703.17 ± 0.69

0.002*

EthnicityMalay IndianChineseOthers

11663

1984

3.35 ± 0.693.28 ± 0.733.22 ± 0.713.39 ± 0.46

0.432

Father’s Education Lower than Secondary Secondary College / University

11116254

2.77 ± 0.803.16 ± 0.703.35 ± 0.68

0.003*

Mother’s Education Lower than Secondary Secondary College / University

15165201

2.73 ± 0.983.20 ± 0.64 3.37 ± 0.71

0.001*

Variables Standardized Coefficients

ß

t P value95% Confidence

Interval for B

Lower Bound

Upper Bound

Male Media Influence

-0.242 -3.346 0.001 -0.329 -0.085

Father's Education

-0.034 -0.402 0.688 -0.254 0.168

Mother's Education

-0.047 -0.558 0.577 -0.266 0.149

Female Media Influence

0.138 1.887 0.061 -0.006 0.254

Father's Education

0.039 0.507 0.613 -0.138 0.233

Mother's Education

-0.188 -2.394 0.018 -0.381 -0.037

Variables Standardized Coefficients

ß

t P value95% Confidence

Interval for BLower Bound

Upper Bound

Male Media Influence -0.093 -1.242 0.216 -0.215 0.049

Father's Education -0.080 -0.915 0.361 -0.334 0.122

Mother's Education -0.098 -1.121 0.264 -0.352 0.097

Female Media Influence 0.257 3.684 <0.001 0.113 0.373

Father's Education -0.058 -0.785 0.433 -0.260 0.112

Mother's Education -0.086 -1.151 0.251 -0.273 0.072

Body image dissatisfaction among adolescents in Subang Jaya was significantly different between male and females with female showing higher dissatisfaction with their body image compared to males as done in other body image studies.

No significant difference among ethnicity

Media and Parents’ education level significantly predicted body image dissatisfaction

Data from this study were obtained from self-report

Validity in terms of Malaysian Population The parental influence was measured and

analyzed as one entity External factors that would have confounded this

current study were not included. Nature of study could not draw a causal

relationship between the sociocultural influences and the body image dissatisfaction

Sociocultural influence on body image dissatisfaction generally is becoming a global phenomenon. Thin idealization has created many problems among youths such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia and substance abuse. Model and beauty contestants are becoming thinner over the years. Body dissatisfaction among male is also becoming more and more prevalent.

Schools and other organization that are associated with adolescents should ensure that healthy and positive body image are promoted to them.

Role of parents Role of teachers Role of health care provider and society

Should encompass ; Knowledge, attitude, practice, communication skills, ability to detect body image disturbance and promoting healthy body image.

Provide adolescents with basic media literacy skills. Empowerment - to take action in addressing media messages that perpetuate poor body image.