Body image in preadolescent girls

Abstract

People's psychological experience of their body can impact on their lives. Some theories hold that the media creates an impossible physical ideal. The demands of trying to achieve this ideal may lead to normative discontent and psychopathology. Girls are experiencing this pressure at a younger age and the onset of puberty can exacerbate this experience. The present study used case studies and thematic content analysis to explore the issue of body image in twelve preadolescent girls. The research found that hair and the ability of the body to do need to be encompassed in the definition of body image. While the participants appeared to have a positive perception of their body, there also appeared to be negative feelings. This suggested that the participants experienced confusion and ambiguous feelings about their body.