Effect of the Parent–Adolescent Relationship on Adolescent Boys’ Body Image and Subjective Well-Being

Adolescent boys must cope with physical changes that hamper their ability to form a positive body image. Sociocultural messages influence the concepts of body image, personal appearance, and weight, encouraging men to develop lean and muscular bodies. The current study examined adolescent boys’ body...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ofra Walter PhD, Vered Shenaar-Golan PhD
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2017-07-01
Series:American Journal of Men's Health
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/1557988317696428
Description
Summary:Adolescent boys must cope with physical changes that hamper their ability to form a positive body image. Sociocultural messages influence the concepts of body image, personal appearance, and weight, encouraging men to develop lean and muscular bodies. The current study examined adolescent boys’ body image and its relationship to their subjective well-being (SWB) and the effect of the parent–adolescent relationship on body image and SWB. Participating in the research were 107 adolescent boys in Israel, aged 13 to 18 years. Four questionnaires were utilized: demographic, body mass index, Body Investment Scale, and Personal Well-Being Index. The findings indicate a significant, medium positive correlation between SWB and body image. After controlling for the variable of parent–adolescent relationship, the correlation weakened, indicating that the parent–adolescent relationship has no effect on adolescent boys’ SWB and body image. Body image was reported to be a predictor of SWB.
ISSN:1557-9883
1557-9891