Body image and self-esteem: a study of gender differences among mid-adolescents

Abstract

This study looked at the conceptualisation of body image and its relationship with self-esteem and investigated for gender differences in these two aspects of the self. Two hundred and forty three randomly selected adolescents responded to a structured self-report schedule. Varimax rotated principal component analysis constrained body image to three dimensions, with affective being more significantly correlated with self-esteem than cognitive and behavioural dimensions. Results revealed significant gender differences in both body image and self-esteem, with adolescent girls having lower body image and self-esteem than their male counterparts.

Gender and Behaviour Vol. 4(1) 2006: 534-549