Abstract

This study examined the differences in body image satisfaction among kindergarten and third grade students. The subjects answered five questions that asked the students to choose body figures. Additionally, they were asked two questions verbally pertaining to their body satisfaction. This test was administered individually by myself in the back of the classrooms. It was hypothesized that third grade girls would have a higher prevalence of body image problems than kindergarten girls and that third graders, overall, would experience body image dissatisfaction more so than kindergarten students. It was predicted that girls would show higher dissatisfaction of body image than boys; also, there would be no significant findings when comparing only the boys in the study. The results showed that there were significant findings concerning body image when comparing third grade and kindergarten students and when comparing the girls in the two grades. There were no significant findings when comparing the sexes and only boys. Future research is suggested, focusing on the prevalence of body image in both boys and girls starting as young as kindergarten. More emphasis might be placed on the different societal factors, such as education, family, religion, class and race, that are involved in forming body image perceptions in preadolescent children.

Advisor

Fitz Gibbon, Heather

Department

Sociology and Anthropology

Publication Date

1999

Degree Granted

Bachelor of Arts

Document Type

Senior Independent Study Thesis

Available for download on Thursday, January 01, 2150

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© Copyright 1999 Danielle Baughman