Human Development & Family Science Masters Theses

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Browsing Human Development & Family Science Masters Theses by Subject "Body image in adolescence."

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    The Influence of Appearance-Related Teasing by Parents, Siblings, and Peers on Adolescents' Body Image with Appearance-Related Social Comparison as a Mediator
    (North Dakota State University, 2011) Schaefer, Mallary Kay
    Body image refers to how individuals experience and perceive their bodies and can be affected by many factors, including peers and family members. Adolescence is a time when body image concerns are emphasized due to the bodily changes of puberty as well as increased internalization of cultural ideals and pressure to adhere to those ideals. Appearance-related teasing is one particular sociocultural factor that is gaining attention in the research field due to the emphasis placed on appearance during adolescence. The current study examined how appearance-related teasing by peers, parents, and siblings affected young adolescents' body image both directly and indirectly via social comparison. Further, because body image is a multidimensional construct and can include body dissatisfaction and drive for muscularity, the present study examined both of these constructs separately. I collected self-report questionnaires from 73 adolescent girls and 67 boys in middle school. I used Pearson correlations, linear regression, and mediation analyses to examine these hypotheses. First, I hypothesized that adolescents who were teased about their appearance by at least one of their parents would also have siblings who teased them. I found significant correlations between both fathers' and mothers' teasing and siblings' teasing, suggesting that parents are modeling teasing behaviors to their children. Second, I hypothesized that appearance-related teasing by fathers, mothers, peers, and siblings would each be associated with body dissatisfaction for girls and drive for muscularity for boys. My findings indicated that mothers', fathers', peers', and siblings' teasing predicted girls' body dissatisfaction and that mothers' and fathers' teasing predicted boys' drive for muscularity. Therefore, appearance-related teasing appears to be detrimental behavior that negatively influences adolescents' body image. Third, I hypothesized that appearance-related social comparison would mediate the relationship between appearance-related teasing from all sources and body dissatisfaction among girls and drive for muscularity among boys. Appearance-related social comparison fully mediated the relationship between fathers' teasing and girls' body dissatisfaction and the relationship between mothers' teasing and boys drive for muscularity. My findings suggest that boys and girls who were teased about their appearance were more likely to engage in social comparison, which negatively impacted their body image. Therapists need to be aware of the role family members' and peers' appearance-related teasing play in the development of adolescents' body image in order to address the occurrence and negative effects of teasing. In addition, researchers will need to conduct future studies further investigating appearance-related teasing by family members and peers and design intervention and prevention programs to address teasing and social comparison among the family and peer contexts.
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    The Influence of Fathers on Adolescent Boys' and Girls' Disordered Eating
    (North Dakota State University, 2011) Bulat, Amanda Emily
    Because eating disorders and body dissatisfaction are significant problems in adolescence, it is important to study the sociocultural influences that may be associated with these attitudes and behaviors. Researchers have been thorough in studying maternal influences on adolescents' disordered eating attitudes and behaviors; however, fathers have not been examined in sufficient detail as to their potential influence on the development of such issues. This study explored the role fathers play in the development of disordered eating attitudes and behaviors among middle-school aged boys and girls. In particular, this study sought to find out how fathers' own dieting behaviors, teasing behaviors, feedback regarding weight, and encouragement to lose weight (e.g., actively promoting weight loss or persuasion to lose weight, regardless of whether or not the adolescent was at a healthy body weight) affected disordered eating in adolescent males and females. Self-report questionnaires were collected from 62 girls and 63 boys, who were in seventh to ninth grades. We used independent sample t-tests to examine gender differences, Pearson correlations to examine associations among fathers' behaviors and adolescents' disordered eating, and multiple regression analyses to examine which father behaviors most influenced adolescents' disordered eating. Although boys received slightly more encouragement to lose weight and feedback about appearance from fathers, and girls reported slightly more teasing and father engagement in dieting behaviors, none of these differences were statistically significant. Fathers' encouragement to lose weight was significantly related to both females' and males' disordered eating. Fathers' feedback about weight was significantly related to females' disordered eating, whereas teasing behaviors were significantly related to males' disordered eating. Both girls and boys were most influenced by fathers' encouragement to lose weight, when compared to other paternal behaviors. It is vital that fathers are included in the discussion, education, and research surrounding adolescents' disordered eating attitudes and behaviors. As suggested in this study, it is essential for researchers, clinicians, and educators to be aware of fathers' influence on adolescents' disordered eating attitudes and behaviors. By discussing the vital role that fathers play in their adolescents' lives, more open communication and knowledge can be uncovered to allow for future efforts in preventing disordered eating attitudes and behaviors in adolescents.