Okul Öncesi Dönemde Beden Algısı

Abstract

In this study, the factors affecting the body image of children in the preschool period, the effects of these factors on children and the research methods and measurement tools related to the determination of body image in the preschool period are discussed. All of the positive or negative evaluations about a person's body constitute his body image. Although it is thought that body image and body dissatisfaction in individuals generally start in adolescence, studies conducted in recent years indicate that body image starts in the preschool period. When the relevant literature was examined, it was seen that satisfaction or dissatisfaction with body image in preschool children was affected by factors such as family, peers and especially the media. If body dissatisfaction is not intervened at early ages, low self-esteem, unhealthy eating habits or substance addiction can be seen in middle childhood and adolescence. Therefore, examining children's body image in preschool period is of great importance in terms of early intervention. However, in Turkey, it has been observed that the researches on body image focus heavily on adolescence, and the studies on body image in the preschool period are quite limited. The main reason for this limitation is the inadequacy of measurement tools to determine the body image of preschool children in Turkey. At this point, the present study is important in terms of presenting examples from the relevant literature on children's body image in preschool period and introducing research methods and measuring tools that can be used to examine body image in early childhood.