Adolescent Body Image and Self-Esteem

The Quest For Adolescents Toward The Ideal Body Often Leads To Poor Self-Esteem

At one time, it was rare for body image issues to affect adolescent children. Today, adolescent body image concerns are burgeoning. Adolescent and pre-teen web sites and adolescent chat rooms dedicated to thinspiration, anorexia, and bulimia are frequent landing places for our adolescent children, and have a great affect on their body image and self-esteem.

While adolescent body image related disorders typically have multiple causes, cultural factors appear to be among the leading causes of body image concerns. The media projects an adolescent body image of beauty that is not the norm. And when adolescent children attempt to attain the unattainable adolescent body image, their failures lead to poor adolescent self-esteem.

Recognizing Your Adolescent Child's Body Image and Self-Esteem Issues

First, it is important to understand what is body image. Body image is the way we feel about our bodies and our appearance. It's how we perceive ourselves when we look in the mirror; and it's how we feel living in our own bodies.

A positive adolescent body image is about accepting yourself as you are and feeling good in the bodies we have. It's about embracing our perfection and our imperfections. Adolescent children who have a negative body image dislike just about everything about their looks, regardless of the reality. They see themselves as too fat, ugly, flabby, constantly comparing themselves to other adolescents.

Body image greatly affects an adolescent child's self-esteem. Self-esteem is about valuing yourself, feeling worthwhile, having a sense of identity and self-worth. Adolescents who have a healthy body image and high self-esteem will enjoy life more.

Adolescent girls are not the only ones who worry about body image. While there is certainly more pressure on adolescent girls to look a certain way, adolescent boys are feeling that pressure, too about their body image. While adolescent girls think they should be model thin, adolescent boys think they should look like athletes.

When The Desire To Change One's Body Image Become A Serious Concern

Most adolescent kids have some feature or body type they wish they could change. It's when that dream adolescent body image becomes an obsession that the warning signals should be addressed. Other warning signs to watch for revolve around eating disorders. Changes in eating behavior are often a sign that the adolescent child has body image issues.

Learn More About Adolescent Body Image and Self-Esteem Issues

You will find additional information about adolescent body image and adolescent self-esteem on the KidsTerrain web site at http://www.kidsterrain.com. Visit our FAQs pages, suggested reading lists, and webinars for  more information on body image and self-esteem.