The Relationship between Dating and Body Image in Adolescence

Abstract

During adolescence, individuals often experience dating for the first time, and negative body image as a result of increased socialization. In this study, we sought to investigate the connection between dating and body image among adolescents. A self-report questionnaire was given to 85 girls and 75 boys, and included measures of current dating status, desired dating status, drive for muscularity, drive for thinness, and body dissatisfaction. We found no significant relationships between dating status and body image for girls or boys. However, when examining the links between desire to date and body image, we found that girls who wanted to date had significantly higher levels of drive for thinness and body dissatisfaction than girls who did not want to date. It is likely that adolescent girls who are interested in dating have greater body image concerns because they want to appear thinner and more attractive to potential dating partners.