Article

Adolescents' sense of self-worth according to their body image and parent-adolescent communication

Author

이영미,민하영

Information

pp. 79~94 / 2009 Vol.16 No.4

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship of adolescents' sense of self-worth to their body image and parent-adolescent communication. Data were collected from 365 adolescents (184 middle school students and 181 high school students) in Seoul and Kyoung-gi province by questionnaire and were analyzed by t-test and regression. The results of this study were as follows. First, girls' perception of their physical appearance was more negative than boys' but there was no sex difference in perceptions of their physical health. Girls communicated with their parents more openly than boys did. Second, the more adolescents perceived their physical appearance and health positively and communicated with their parents openly, the more positive the adolescents' sense of self-worth. Third, the regression analysis showed that perceptions of physical appearance was the stronger predictor of boys' sense of self-worth, however, the openness of parent-adolescent communication was the stronger predictor of girls' sense of self-worth. Perceptions of physical appearance and physical health were significantly predictive to boys' sense of self-worth, however, perceptions of physical appearance rather than physical health was significantly predictive of girls' sense of self-worth.

Keywords