Body Image and Psychological Well-Being in Adolescents: The Relationship Between Gender and School Type

ABSTRACT

Adolescents (N = 1,281; M age = 15.2 years, SD = 0.51 years) from a state-wide sample of schools provided information about their psychological well-being, family functioning, extraversion, and perceived physical attractiveness and weight, using a questionnaire completed at school. Consistent with previous research, girls were significantly more likely than boys to be dissatisfied with their weight and physical appearance, and these factors explained significantly more variation in self-esteem than in life satisfaction or other measures of psychological well-being. The strong relationship between body dissatisfaction and self-esteem for adolescent girls was not moderated by school type (single sex or educational). However, girls who were dissatisfied but psychologically well adjusted tended to be more extraverted, have more close friends and receive greater family support.

Keywords:

• attractiveness
• body image
• gender differences
• psychological well-being

Acknowledgments

This project was supported by Grant DP0556377 from the Australian Research Council.

Notes

1. This effect approached significance (p = .07).