Abstract
Purpose
To further understand the association between body dissatisfaction and sadness/loneliness among adolescent girls, we examine how this association, as reported by pre-teen and adolescent girls, is mediated or moderated by the quality of peer and family relationships.
Methods
Our data are from the Health Behavior of School-Aged Children 2009–2010, a nationally representative survey of school-aged children in the US. We analyze a sample of 5658 girls in Grades 5 through 10. We utilize ordinary least squares (OLS) regression techniques and adjust for the complex sampling design. We explore how the link between body dissatisfaction and sadness/loneliness is mediated or moderated by family and peer relationships and also include controls for age, race, media exposure, and physical health.
Results
We find that body dissatisfaction is predictive of sadness/loneliness for girls at all grade levels and that the quality of peer and family relationships mediates 27%–38% of this association, particularly among early adolescent girls. Positive peer relationships also moderate or help mitigate the association between body dissatisfaction and sadness/loneliness among pre-teens.
Conclusion
Our findings underscore the association between body dissatisfaction and sadness/loneliness among early adolescent girls. In addition, our results highlight the importance of quality peer and family relationships in terms of how girls think about their bodies and respond emotionally to them. To evaluate feelings of sadness and loneliness among early adolescent girls, health care professionals need to consider not only body dissatisfaction but also the context of peer and family relationships.
Funding source: None.
Financial disclosure: The authors have no financial relationships relevant to this article to disclose.
Conflict of interest: The authors have no conflicts of interest relevant to this article to disclose.
Clinical trial registration: None.
Implications and contributions: Using a representative sample of adolescent girls in the US, we model the association between body dissatisfaction and sadness/loneliness, and examine the mediating and moderating influence of peer and family relationships. To address adolescent sadness/loneliness, body dissatisfaction and the context of peer and family relationships should be considered.
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©2019 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston
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Artikel in diesem Heft
- Editorial
- Adverse effects of stimulant medications in children and adolescents: focus on sleep and growth disturbances
- The relationship between anxiety, depression and risk behaviors in adolescents
- Bullying, its effects on attitude towards class attendance and the contribution of physical and dentofacial features among adolescents in Northern Nigeria
- Psychometric analysis of Epworth Sleepiness Scale and its correlation with Pittsburgh sleep quality index in poor sleepers among Indian university students
- Self-care challenges in adolescents: a comprehensive literature review
- Sexual behavior and pregnancy among adolescents in foster family homes
- Sad and lonely: body dissatisfaction among adolescent girls
- Distracted driving on YouTube: implications for adolescents
- Factors affecting utilization of youth friendly health services in Lagos State, Nigeria
- Adherence to a Mediterranean dietary pattern and overweight and obesity among female adolescents in Iran
- Associations among daytime sleepiness, depression and suicidal ideation in Korean adolescents
- Influencing factors on high-risk sexual behaviors in young people: an ecological perspective
- Improving adolescent access and services in a large primary care network: report of a 10 year project
- Is age of menarche among school girls related to academic performance?
- Bicycle and helmet use of adolescents in Markham, Canada