NCJ Number
214831
Journal
Journal of Youth and Adolescence Volume: 35 Issue: 2 Dated: April 2006 Pages: 257-269
Date Published
April 2006
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This study examined gender and body mass index (weight in relation to height) as links to adolescents' perceptions of their experiences within the peer-appearance culture (frequency of conversations about appearance and diet/muscle talk).
Abstract
Although girls reported more conversations with peers about appearance than did boys, boys perceived more pressure and teasing from peers about their appearance. Boys also reported that they talked with friends about muscle-building at a greater rate than girls talked about dieting. Girls who were overweight talked about dieting more often than girls who were not overweight, and they perceived that peers evaluated them more negatively on their appearance. Overweight girls also reported more appearance comparisons and greater body dissatisfaction. Boys who were overweight were more likely than underweight boys to discuss muscle-building with friends. The underweight boys, however, were more likely to receive peer negative messages about their muscularity. The study sample consisted of 215 girls and 200 boys who were either in the 7th or 10th grades. They provided self-reports on the appearance culture among friends (conversations about appearance, diet, and muscle-building); peer evaluations of appearance (peer appearance pressure and teasing about appearance); and peer acceptance concerns (appearance-based acceptance and peer appearance comparison). 4 tables, 42 references, and appended factor loadings for peer appearance culture measures