Sociocultural Influences and Body Image in 9 to 12-Year-Old Girls: The Role of Appearance Schemas

Abstract

This study tested whether an individual's beliefs about the importance of appearance in their life is a mediator of sociocultural influences on body dissatisfaction in young girls. Participants were 265 girls in Grades 4 to 7 (M age = 10.71 years) from 5 private primary schools in metropolitan Adelaide, South Australia. Girls completed questionnaire measures of appearance television and magazine exposure, peer appearance conversations, autonomy, appearance schemas, and body dissatisfaction. Appearance media exposure and peer appearance conversations were negatively related to body esteem, and autonomy positively predicted body esteem. Most important, appearance schemas mediated between all sociocultural variables and body dissatisfaction.

Contemporary girlhood: Maternal reports on sexualized behaviour and appearance concern in 4–10 year-old girls

“…In the regression analysis, involvement with teen culture, the wearing of beauty accessories such as nail polish or heeled shoes, and attention to clothes emerged as unique predictors. The first of these extends the small amount of previous research that has demonstrated relationships between exposure to appearance-related media (teen magazines, soap operas, music videos) and body image concerns among young preadolescent girls (Anschutz, Engels, Van Leeuwe, & van Strien, 2009;Clark & Tiggemann, 2007;Dohnt & Tiggemann, 2006b;Sands & Wardle, 2003), parallel to what has been reported for their adolescent counterparts (Levine & Murnen, 2009). …”

Relationship between Body Weight and Self-Esteem: A Study of Young Men and Women in Iran

“…One example is that the compulsory dress codes in Islamic countries for females means that their body shape is not publicly exposed, whereas due to the comparatively relaxed dress codes for males, males tend to be more concerned about their body shape. For females, psychological factors such as lack of positive thinking or exaggeration of their actual weight status cause them to become less interested in keeping in shape [9,10]. Although the literature correlating levels of self-esteem and body weight status is scarce [9,10], we found a strong association between self-esteem scores and BMI.…”

“…For females, psychological factors such as lack of positive thinking or exaggeration of their actual weight status cause them to become less interested in keeping in shape [9,10]. Although the literature correlating levels of self-esteem and body weight status is scarce [9,10], we found a strong association between self-esteem scores and BMI. In particular, pre-university students had a higher probability of being in the ideal ideal status and were less likely to become overweight or obese.…”

Girls feeling good at school: School gender environment, internalization and awareness of socio‐cultural attitudes associations with self‐esteem in adolescent girls

“…In today's society, the mass media can act as mechanisms to relay societal ideals to both children and adults (Clark & Tiggemann, 2007), and as such, body dissatisfaction may develop through reinforcement of these ideals presented in the media by peers and family (Lawler & Nixon, 2011). However, not all girls internalize them to the same extent and consequently experience low self-esteem, as the awareness and internalization of media images of thin ideal differs by individual.…”

“…Research and metaanalyses that have examined weight-related teasing have shown a positive longitudinal relationship with self-esteem (Menzel, Schaefer, Burke, Mayhew, Brannick, & Thompson, 2010); such that those who are teased are more likely to diet and experience poorer body image (Clark & Tiggemann, 2007).…”