Title
The Source and Impact of Appearance Teasing: An Examination by Sex and Weight Status Among Early Adolescents From the Czech Republic
Date Issued
01 March 2015
Access level
metadata only access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Ježek S.
Masaryk University
Publisher(s)
Wiley-Blackwell
Abstract
Background: Some adolescents are victims of negative appearance-related feedback, and this may have lasting adverse effects on their self-evaluation. The aim of this study was to examine the frequency and impact of appearance teasing across sex and weight status. Methods: The participants were 570 Czech adolescents (47.9% girls) evaluated at age 13 during the European Longitudinal Study of Pregnancy and Childhood. Instruments used were body mass index and an adapted version of the Physical Experiences Survey that measures appearance teasing sources (parents, peers, among others), body part teased, and the impact of teasing. Chi-square test and multivariate analyses of variance were conducted to compare groups by sex and weight status. Logistic regression was then used for adjusted analyses. Results: Girls were more likely to report appearance teasing than boys. Overweight adolescents, both girls and boys, were more likely to be teased than non-overweight adolescents. Overweight adolescents compared with non-overweight adolescents reported higher levels of impact of body-related teasing. Conclusions: Czech adolescents continue to adopt the societal standards of Western countries, stigmatizing overweight peers. This may affect more obese adolescents. Future research has to evaluate different sources of appearance-related teasing. Interventions in schools are suitable for the reduction of appearance-related prejudices.
Start page
163
End page
170
Volume
85
Issue
3
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Pediatría
Psicología
Subjects
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-84921382293
PubMed ID
Source
Journal of School Health
ISSN of the container
00224391
Sources of information:
Directorio de Producción Científica
Scopus